Till Death Do Us Part
by F4llon
Summary: An NCIS Agent goes missing in Donetsk, Ukraine. When an old case returns to the Los Angeles team, Callen is less than impressed when Granger tells him that Vance needs him in D.C. and cannot help his team on this current case. Callen teams up with Gibbs on a rescue mission that turns his life upside down. Sam and Hetty become frustrated as time goes on with no Callen.
1. Chapter 1

**Till Death Do Us Part**

_Disclaimer: NCISLA characters belong to Shane Brennan. All original characters and this story are mine._

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**Chapter 1**

**Washington D.C. — February 17th, 2014**

Alexandra Holden was in a rush to drop her daughter off at school. Katie was in grade three and thriving. She had lots of friends and when her mom was too busy with work, her grandparents looked after her. She was nine years old and learning guitar. She wanted to be the next Hannah Montana, although after how the actress of the show turned out, her mother wasn't quite sure. But she supported her in her passion in learning the guitar and she was amazed at how much enthusiasm she had in learning more difficult pieces, including more recent songs, such as Rude by Magic.

"Katya?" Alex walked over to one of the moms at school, looking concerned. "Is everything okay?"

Katya shook her head. "No. I've got to fly home, my mother's just died."

"I'm so sorry for your loss." Alexandra's eyes widened at the story about how Katya had to fly to Istanbul and catch another flight into Donetsk, Ukraine, where all the rebels were located and fighting against the country's government. It was too dangerous for her to fly into Kiev, she had been told.

"If you need to contact me with regards to anything going on at school over the next couple of weeks, you can still send me emails and Peter will have access to them. He'll be on his own with Daniel." Daniel was in Katie's class, Alex found herself chatting every so often with his mother, although they themselves weren't friends. But upon hearing her story, an idea came into Alexandra's head and instantly she went into gear.

"Would you like me to come with you to keep you company?" She pulled her cell out and began sending a text to her boss, hoping for his support at her idea. "Just got an opportunity to fly into Donetsk with a mom at school. She's going for her mother's funeral. Do you want me in?"

"It's a go," the reply came in quickly.

"Are you crazy? Do you realise how dangerous it is over there at the moment?" Katya's hands shook with nerves about the forth coming trip. "Don't you have to work?" She knew that Alexandra was a single mom and worked full time with the support of her parents.

"All the more reason not to travel alone. If Peter can't go with you, you should still have a travel companion. Two's safer than one, right?" Alexandra smiled warmly and hugged Katya when tears sprung forth with gratitude. "Plus I'm due a holiday."

"Thank you, you are very kind, Alex."

**Donetsk, Ukraine — February 20th, 2014**

The news reports hadn't provided the full effect of what life in the country's east was like for the people. Alexandra held Katya close as they passed gunmen who lined the streets and watched their every move. Life was very different from back home, but Alex was thankful that she had the experience in war torn countries as a Federal Agent for NCIS. Twenty years on the job and she was a veteran. But here she was undercover as a friend of Katya, she peered around her with wide eyes like she was in fear. "You weren't wrong when you said it was bad here, Katya. Where's the house where we are staying?"

Katya pointed in the direction. "I need to get some money out. How are you with cash? They've placed restrictions, only eight hundred Hryvnia allowed a day, which is around thirty-five U.S. dollars. If you need more, you've got to travel around the city to all the different banks."

"I'm okay for now." Alexandra was thankful for the envelope that Leon Vance had left for her in Istanbul. Enough cash to cover the two week time frame she was intending on being in Donetsk.

**Los Angeles — March 13th, 2014**

The team were having a rare morning playing two against two in a game of basketball. Callen and Sam were two points ahead of Deeks and Kensi, when Eric ran into the gym. "We've got a case, guys."

"Oh come on," Deeks called out. "We're almost in the lead here."

Eric shrugged. "Then that makes Callen and Sam the winners."

Callen smirked and Sam chuckled as they heard the moaning from the detective calling out for their unfair win. They followed the Technical Operator up into the Ops Centre and waited to be briefed. Hetty waited alongside Nell, talking over their latest case.

"Last night, there was a break in at this facility," Nell began the brief. Video footage of said break in was caught on camera and Eric pressed play.

Six armed men dressed in black with balaclavas entered the facility through the roof. "How the hell did they get onto the roof without a ride?" Deeks inquired, surprised by what they were seeing. These men were pros and had thoroughly planned their break in.

"This is how," Eric brought up footage from a nearby building, showing the men flying across on a wire with harnesses from the building next door.

"That is way cool," Deeks muttered.

Hetty turned and glared at him. "I can arrange it for our next team building exercise, if you wish, Mr Deeks."

"You can?" His eyes widened in surprise, but then he saw the glint of mischievousness in their Operations Manager's eyes and he realised she was pulling his leg. "Oh, very funny."

Kensi nudged her partner, slightly amused before refocusing on their case.

"What did they get away with?" Callen brought the focus back onto why they were there.

"Microchips in a safe on the fortieth floor," Nell responded.

"Microchips for what?" Callen asked again.

"For these." Eric brought up the missile launchers and they all knew what damage they could do. It brought back memories of Tracy Rosetti again for Callen and he sighed, thinking he had to see her again.

"Are they the same microchips Tracy had in a locker when White was trying to kill her?" Sam asked, after noticing the tense muscles underneath Callen's purple plaid shirt.

"The very same." Nell brought up the details of the previous case that involved James Thomas Mason. "Mason made bail a week ago and it's no coincidence that these microchips were stolen so soon after his release."

"He's out already?" Callen's voice bordered on anger from disbelief over the fact that a well known terrorist and a psychotic one at that, could have made bail after such a short time.

"Unfortunately, Mr Callen, he's been a model prisoner and he has paid for a very good lawyer." Hetty sighed, not liking where this case was heading. "Because Miss Rosetti had us involved in the last case due to FBI's rogue agent, John White, we've been asked by SecNav to find the microchips and proof that Mason was behind this theft."

"I presume seeing Mason is out on bail, you have an address for him?" Sam asked Nell and Eric.

"We do. It's on your phones." Eric's body tensed as Owen Granger entered the room and stood to the rear.

"Mr Callen, may I remind you that the last time you met with Mason, it didn't go well. May I suggest that you take your partner and visit the crime scene and have Detective Deeks and Miss Blye visit Mr Mason."

"Yeah you're right, Hetty." He turned to leave but was stopped by Owen Granger.

"Not you, Agent Callen." Granger stood firm to prevent him from leaving.

Steam could have be seen coming out of Callen's ears if he had been in a cartoon. He was peeved and everyone in that room knew it. "What do you mean, not me? This is from an old case that I had a huge part in the last time we dealt with Mason. You can't just take me off this case."

"I haven't. This has come from Director Vance. Grab your go bag and take these." He handed him an envelope. "Your tickets to D.C. Flight leaves in ninety minutes, don't miss it."

Callen turned to Hetty for help. "Hetty?"

"I'm sorry, Mr Callen. I have not been informed about any of this. There's nothing I can do." Hetty glared at Owen, she was not amused by the timing of Callen being taken away, nor the fact that she had been kept out of the loop.

Sam patted him on the shoulder. "Now who do I take with me to the crime scene?" He looked intently at Owen daring him to say him.

"Take Nell," Owen returned the glare, pleased with his counter move. He was still very much in the dark himself on why Vance requested Callen's immediate presence in D.C.

**Downtown Los Angeles**

Nell observed the annoyed behaviour of the former Navy SEAL, who, to his credit, kept his opinions to himself. He knew it wasn't Nell's fault that Callen had been shipped off to D.C. for whatever reason, but it didn't mean he had to like it either. As they pulled up outside the fifty storey building, they entered through reception and showed their identification. They were led to the elevator and taken up to the fortieth floor by one of the building's security staff. When they stepped off, the floor was flooded with FBI and LAPD.

"This is a FBI case," Agent Cassidy told them once their identification had been known to him.

"Actually it's ours," Sam replied. "We dealt with White, Rosetti and Mason the last time these microchips were up for grabs. We know that Mason made bail last week, and White was your rogue agent. We want all the crime scene evidence sent through to our lab for analysis." He stood firm with his cell in his hands, when he saw that Cassidy wasn't going to budge. "I'll call Hetty then."

Cassidy furrowed his brow, he'd heard about Henrietta Lange from his peers that she wasn't one to mess with, nor her people. "I'll call my boss." He turned and made his call, unimpressed that it was true that he had to pass the case over to NCIS. "Give them all you've got," he called out to his team. "This is now an NCIS case." There was a flurry of activity on the floor where the microchips had been kept safe for four years and up to the roof. FBI staff were quick to hand Sam and Nell all their evidence collected so far and details on their prognosis of entry was run down with them, as they followed Cassidy up onto the roof.

"Have your people cordoned off the other building where the thieves entered and exited yet?" Nell scanned the neighbouring building for further analysis.

"No. We've been busy just on this building." Cassidy was annoyed to have had this case pulled out from under their feet, but it was always messy when one federal agency pulled ranks over another.

"We'll get our people in next door then," Sam told him.

Nell quickly pulled her cell out and dialled Eric. "Eric, we need a team inside the building next door to analyse anything that will help us identify who these six men were."

"On it, Nell." Eric quickly typed in the details and issued for a crime scene unit to the location.

"Sam and I are heading over there now. It looks like the FBI and LAPD have been thorough inside this building. We'll send through what we can via phone. The rest we can pass onto our CSU."

"Thanks, Nell. Stay safe." Eric disconnected the call and saw the tension in their Operation's Manager. "Hetty?" Her non recognition of him worried him even more. "Perhaps a soothing cup of tea might be in order for you?"

Hetty refocused on her Tech and nodded. "That sounds like a good plan, thank you, Eric." He sighed as he watched her exit the tech filled room for her office. He pulled up live footage of her brewing a pot, but she sat in her chair staring out into space again. Something was certainly on her mind.

**Beverly Hills**

Deeks hesitated as he and Kensi approached the front door of Mason's property. It was well tended, not what one would expect of a criminal who had spent the previous four years in jail. But Mason had money and he obviously had continued to pay his employees well for the upkeep of this fine establishment in the heart of Beverley Hills. "This place doesn't have any indication of what kind of man lives inside here. You don't think it's a bogus address, do you? I mean, Mason is a psycho and a terrorist."

"What were you expecting, Deeks? A sign to warn you of the man inside?" Kensi retorted.

"Now that would be helpful. "Warning: one bell, we'll attack you from the front, two bells, we'll attack you from the back."

"Really Deeks? You're quoting Paul Revere at a time like this? We're coming to ask him questions, not for an all out battle to rescue Boston from the Brits. Not that we're on the East Coast either."

"I'm just saying he's not right in the head and we need to be prepared for anything." Deeks tried to explain his concern over visiting James Thomas Mason. "Especially if he has the microchips in his possession."

"But he doesn't have the missiles, Deeks. Remember, we took hold of them four years ago."

"That doesn't mean he hasn't attained some more since."

Kensi took in a deep breath and pressed the door bell. Her hand neared the small of her back, her nerves were on edge with Deeks' ramblings on about Mason.

"May I help you?" A tall man in his sixties answered the door, dressed in a black velvet jacket and grey trousers. He was greying around the edges and well groomed. Something Deeks could learn from, Kensi pondered to herself.

"Hello. I'm Special Agent Kensi Blye and this is my partner, Detective Marty Deeks. We're here to ask James Thomas Mason some questions."

"I'm sorry, my son is not here. I haven't seen him in over five years." The man furrowed his brow. "He's not in trouble with the law, is he?"

Kensi opened her mouth to answer, but her partner beat her to it.

"Your son hasn't been in touch with your for over five years?" Deeks looked to his partner, suddenly concerned over the whereabouts of their fugitive.

"No, not since he left Law School. His mother and I worry about him. We wished he would call home once in a while."

"Do you have an address for him?" Kensi asked the man, who appeared to have no clue on his son's criminal acts.

"No, but we know he's employed by Hector and Sons Law Firm, downtown. They send cards and gifts on his behalf for our birthdays and Christmas." David Mason advised them.

"Thank you, Sir, you've been a great help." Deeks and Kensi left the premises and drove for downtown L.A.

"Eric, we have a problem. There was no sign of Mason at his parent's house. They haven't seen him in over five years. They think he's employed by Hector and Sons Law Firm. We're heading there now to see if anyone there can help locate him."

"That's the building next door to where the thieves got access to the secured building. Sam and Nell are there right now. I've sent a CSU to that location as well."

"Tell Sam we'll be there in fifteen." Deeks pressed his feet firmer on the pedal and hoped their colleagues were safe.


	2. Chapter 2

**Till Death Do Us Part**

_Disclaimer: NCISLA characters belong to Shane Brennan. All original characters and this story are mine._

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**Chapter 2**

**Washington D.C — March 13th, 2014**

The five hour flight was not what Special Agent G. Callen had in mind when he woke up at five that morning. It was now five in the afternoon when he landed in the nation's capitol and he was bordering on frustration when he stepped off the plane. He hated being kept in the dark on anything, especially when Hetty played chess with their lives at times. But now even she had no idea on why he was brought to the East Coast. His face brightened a little upon seeing his old friend, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, standing back from the crowd, waiting for him.

"Hey, Callen. Long time no see." Callen hugged him briefly, pleased it was him who met him and no one else.

"Yeah, how you doing?"

"Pretty good. Weird seeing you back here though. Ten years is a long time to stay away, Callen."

"You understand why I couldn't return, don't you?" Callen looked over to Gibbs and he saw him shake his head.

"No, actually I don't. You were happy here, we were a team, a family and you get this offer to do undercover work in L.A. and then you were gone. We were left to pick up the pieces. I had to find a replacement for you and…"

"How is she?" Callen stopped beside Gibbs' car and looked over to him.

"You should have called her yourself. Or hopped on that damn plane and come back to see her. She was a mess after you up and left." Gibbs shook his head again. "I know it's none of my business, but you've got a lot of making up to do."

"She was suppose to come with me. Follow me to L.A." He climbed inside the warmth of the car. One thing he never missed about D.C. was the cold. "She chose to stay here." It was what he had going through his head to convince himself that it wasn't his fault.

"Well you better find some better excuse than that, because she's missing." Gibbs' words hung in the air as Callen's heart pounded inside his chest.

"Missing from where?" It all made sense now. The secrecy in Vance pulling him out of OSP to the East coast. They had once been a team. The best on the East Coast. Gibbs, Kate, him and Alex. The four of them had become a family and when he got the opportunity to do undercover work for Hetty in Los Angeles, he left them all behind. It was what he was best at, they all knew it. Like he was born to do it. He also needed to find answers on who he was and who his family were. Since working back in L.A. he'd learned a great deal, although his name was still very much a mystery to him. After thirty-nine years of not knowing who he was, he wondered if he would ever discover the truth.

"Donetsk." Gibbs overtook a slow truck and made his way to the Navy Yard. Vance was briefing them on the details of what he wanted from them. But he knew that it was up to the two of them to go in as old aliases to find her and bring her home. He only hoped Callen could put his personal feelings behind him and focus on rescuing her.

"No way. We don't have any agents in there. It's too risky." Callen's eyes widened at the reality of Alexandra's situation.

"She had an opportunity to go in with a friend. She's from Donetsk and she had to return home for her mother's funeral. It was a solid cover, this friend has no idea who she really was. It was our best shot to find out what was really going on in that region. She was supposed to be there for two weeks. She arrived in Donetsk three weeks ago. Neither her or her friend have been seen since her mother's funeral, just over a week ago."

"How are we going in?" Callen knew the answer before he even asked the question, but asked it anyway.

"Ivan and Anatoly, our old aliases. It's safest to head into Russia first, then into Ukraine. Vance plans on having us trade microchips for some missiles they've procured, for Alex and her friend."

"Microchips? The ones my team back in L.A. are searching for?" He rubbed his hand through his hair and couldn't believe their luck.

"No. These are fake. What microchips are you talking about?" Callen furrowed his brow as he thought back to four years earlier.

"Four years ago, we came across a rogue FBI agent who was trying to sell microchips for some missiles to a guy named James Thomas Mason. I went it to trade the microchips for money, while my team found the missiles and we arrested Mason. He got out of jail a week ago on bail and last night a team of six armed men stole the microchips out of a secured building."

"Well I hope your team find Mason and the missing microchips. But these aren't them. These ones have been tampered with. They will only work for a short time, then we press a button on a black box and they are destroyed."

"Sounds like a plan. Any idea on where we'll find Alex and her friend?"

"My team have been looking for them. We think we've located them." Gibbs pulled up outside the Navy Yard building and stepped out of his car. "Are you ready to see Alex again, Callen? Because if you aren't I'll go in with DiNozzo."

"My replacement?" Callen shook his head. "No. I owe it to Alex to get her out alive. I'm ready, Gibbs."

Gibbs nodded. "Good. We fly out in four hours to Istanbul for a connecting flight into Rostov-on-Don. We have agents on the ground waiting for our arrival to help us cross into Ukraine."

Callen nodded as he followed Gibbs inside and up the old familiar elevator into the orange room. Well he was sure it was still orange. Nothing else would feel the same for him, that he was sure of. Only Gibbs was from the old team, even Jenny Shepherd was gone and Vance stood in her place. He exited the lift and looked around seeing a few changes here and there, a lot of new faces and he was greeted with a hug from Abby as she ran over to him.

"Hey Abs."

"Callen. It's so good to see you again. Is anyone else from your team with you?"

"No, just me. Vance wanted me for something."

Abby's face fell. "Oh." She looked between him and Gibbs and a churning began her stomach. "Oh, no. What are you two doing? Where are you going?" She followed them up the stairs towards Vance's office, but stopped when their director exited and gave her the look to leave them alone. "Please don't send them anywhere dangerous, Leon. Not after the last time you sent them to Moscow and they got shot down."

Gibbs turned and faced the goth forensic scientist. "Abs, we'll be find. Stop worrying."

Gibbs and Callen entered Vance's office and sat opposite him at his desk. "I'm sorry to pull you like this, Agent Callen, but I was told that only the two of you can pull off Alexandra's rescue."

Callen knitted his brow. "By who?"

"Alex. It was her back up plan if she didn't return home after the two weeks in Donetsk. Old aliases of yours and Gibbs' would be the perfect cover to get her out."

"Ivan and Anatoly. Yeah, Gibbs told me."

Vance handed him a folder. "Read everything in this and then hand it back to me. This is everything I can give you on Katya Dombrowsky, who is now an American Citizen. She's married to a Peter Gower, an American. They have a son, Daniel, who is nine and they live locally here in D.C. Alexandra has known Katya for a few years and offered to go with her to Donetsk for her mother's funeral. There has been no known ties to the rebels in her home town to Katya, and we think that Alex's identity has been burned and Katya has been caught up in it."

"Which would mean that she's in grave danger if she's still alive." Callen shook his head in disbelief to even voice his concerns that he may be going in just to bring her body home. He took in a deep breath and held it for a moment as he focused on the information inside the folder he held in his hands.

"Which is why this is a black op, Agent Callen. No one can know you're going in, other than the three of us, Gibbs' team and the men on the ground."

"Is that why you've kept Hetty out of the loop on this one?"

Vance nodded. "Not even Granger knows why I called you here. That way Hetty can't dragged it out of him."

"She won't like this." Callen understood the frustration of being kept in the dark on something, especially when it involved Hetty's own people.

"I promised Alex that I wouldn't tell Hetty. She blames her for you leaving D.C. I have to agree with Alex on this, Agent Callen. If I had been Director ten years ago, I would not have allowed Hetty the power to snatch you from this team."

"I wanted to go, Director. I was born to do undercover work and I needed answers on who I am." He narrowed his eyes trying to work out why Alex blamed Hetty and wanted her to not know about his rescue of her. The plan was for Alex to join him in his new team. Hetty told him he was to be the team leader and she would provided the team for him. He'd asked for Alex to be part of that team, and not once had Hetty told him that she couldn't be. "What am I missing here?"

"You find Alex and bring her home safely, Agent Callen. That is for her to tell you and not me." Callen nodded and left the office, scanning the intel as fast as he could. He needed to get back into his old alias, Ivan Borovsky, a Russian arms dealer he'd played ten years ago. Oh Ally, I hope you've thought this through. Please be alive.

**Downtown, Los Angeles**

Deeks pulled up outside the address, they ran inside and showed their badges to reception. "You're colleagues are on the forty-eighth floor."

"Thanks." Relief spread across their faces upon seeing LAPD and their CSU on site. With Callen away in D.C., they felt exposed to anything, although they were glad to have Nell out in the field to support Sam.

Sam was brooding under the surface, but he remained focused on task. Deeks kept his mouth shut not wanting to push the former SEAL any further. "You got the message about Hector and Sons Law Firm?" He asked Nell as he saw her as the safest option. He understood how it felt to be lost without your partner, he knew what Sam was going through. And not to know when he'd be back, would make him brood for some time.

"Yes. The company appears legit. Mason was asked to set up their San Diego's office four years ago. They think he's down there, no one has any idea he's been in jail." Nell quietly advised Deeks and Kensi.

"Neither do the parents. Are we sure we've got the right guy here? Have you seen any photos of Mason to confirm we're dealing with the same person?" Deeks asked, as he began to wonder if Mason wasn't really who he said he was.

"I'm waiting for their HR manager to provide his file." Nell turned with a smile and thanked the woman for the file, now safely in her hands. "Let's take a look." All four sets of eyes widened at the photo of the real James Thomas Mason.

Sam looked over to the HR manager and pulled out his cell. "Do you know this man?" He showed the woman the photo they had of their James Thomas Mason.

"Yes, he worked in the office as a cleric for a year, about five years ago. Then he resigned around the time Mr Mason moved to San Diego. What's going on?"

"Identity theft, I'm afraid. Do you have the file on this man?"

The woman nodded. "Yes, I'll fetch it for you." She walked back into her office and came back out soon after with another file. She handed it to Sam who immediately opened and read his details. He took photocopies of his details and sent them through to Eric.

"Meet Donald Masser. Our real suspect. We have an address, let's go. CSU can finish up here." The team nodded and they headed back down to street level and drove off in their vehicles. The address was in South Gate, far from the Beverley Hills address he gave his parole officer.

"LAPD are on route for back up," Eric advised them as Hetty and Granger stood behind him, watching their approach to Masser's property.

Nell rang the doorbell, pretending to have lost her dog. "Excuse me, have you seen my dog? He's a French Bulldog and his name is Rusty." She showed him a photo of a ruddy coloured bulldog she'd pulled off the internet and hoped it fooled their suspect, Masser.

"No, lady, I haven't seen it." He slammed the door shut and Nell nodded, having confirmation they had the right address for him and that he was at home.

Sam knocked this time and Masser was surprised to see him there. He'd remembered him from his arrest and began to run through his house to the back door, where Kensi and Deeks met him with their weapons drawn.

"Federal Agents, on your knees," Deeks called out, pleased with how stupid this criminal was.

Donald Masser fell to his knees as Kensi cuffed him and hauled him up. "You've got some explaining to do, Mason. Or should we call you Masser," Deeks snarled.

**Boat Shed**

"Where are the microchips?" Sam growled. Nell stood in the corner analysing their suspect.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Masser knew he'd been found out on his real identity, but he was going to try his hardest to deny the previous night's raid. He'd employed five men to help him get the microchips and he was surprised at how easy it had been for them. His old employer's location was easy to use, seeing he still had an old access card to the building and the upper floors, allowing them access to the roof. The men he'd hired were pros in thieving from the rich and famous, going in through the roof was a breeze. He'd only been out of jail for a week, he had no desire to return back inside.

Nell shifted the chair to the table and approached Masser in a different way to Sam. "Look, Masser. We've got you okay. You thought you could fool us into thinking that you were the real James Thomas Mason, but we found your real identity through your old employer and we've found you at your real address. It won't take us long to find out where the microchips are, with our without your help. With your help, you will go back inside for maybe another year or two. Without your help, Agent Hanna here can send you to Guantanamo Bay, where I hear water sports are all the rage."

Deeks and Kensi rested on the table out in the main room and chuckled. "Oh Nell, she's real good," Deeks drawled out. "Callen would be proud of her."

Kensi smiled. "Yeah, he would. Just don't mention Callen around Sam. He's been brooding all day."

"Tell me about it. Good thing we've got Nell to talk to, I'm too afraid to say anything incase he snaps."

"I know what you mean." She tilted her head and analysed him. "Did you brood when I went away?"

Deeks fiend a shock look, then smiled. "Yeah, I did."

"Good to know." Kensi smiled warmly and gently nudged him. "I would too, if you were taken from me like that."

Their conversation was cut short when Nell and Sam walked out with a smug look about them. "I don't know how you managed that, Nell, but we need you in interrogation more often." Nell blushed at Sam's praise.

"I'd say you're off your game today, Mr Hanna. We understand why, we just hope you won't let it affect your performance again." They all turned and found Hetty standing in the entrance to the boat shed. "I've tried to get answers out of Director Vance, but he refuses to answer my calls."

"I'm sure G will be back soon, Hetty." Sam smiled over to her, half convincing her and himself at the same time. "Nell's got the location of the microchips. We've handed it over to the FBI to pick them up. Let's hope they find a more secure location for them this time."

Deeks pulled out some beers. "To Callen. Whatever he's up to, may he come home safe, soon." They all clinked their bottle and gulped down the golden ale. "And to Nell, for her awesome interrogation skills."

"To Callen and Nell."


	3. Chapter 3

**Till Death Do Us Part**

By BH72

_Disclaimer: I don't own anything that is recognisable from NCIS or NCISLA. They belong to Shane Brennan and his amazing team of writers. I only own the original characters and the storyline._

_A/N: Thanks for your reviews. Warning, this chapter delves into subject matter that might be difficult for some readers._

**Chapter 3**

**_March 14th, 2014, Donetsk, Ukraine…_**

Alexandra pried her eyes open in the darkness of the old disused building. She could hear the scatter of cockroaches across the floor and prayed there weren't any rats around. Her injuries made her go in and out of consciousness and she had no idea where she was or how long it had been since she and Katya had been taken. She shouldn't have come. Her own words kept running over in her mind. By coming, she had placed Katya into danger and she had nothing to do with this. She could hear the woman's cry over on the other side of the room where they had been tied up. But at least they hadn't tortured or raped Katya. Not that she knew of anyway. Her being from there gave her the advantage of being safe. But it was the face of someone who shouldn't have been in Ukraine, that she knew had burned her. Adam Green. Special Agent of NCIS, out of the Boston office. He had been laughing and dealing in weapons when he'd first seen her there on the streets with Katya. His visage had darkened and before she had the chance to disappear, both of them had been grabbed and hauled to this building. She hadn't seen Green again, but she knew that her own fate had been carved in stone once he'd seen her.

She coughed from the cold that had set in her body. It was covered in bruises, and she was sure she had some broken ribs and the cuts to her body continued to open up and bleed every time she moved. But it was the man who appeared in charge, when he came into see her, that made her body shudder. She could not hide the fear from her eyes when he would beat her around and rip her clothes off and rape her. Her clothes now lay discarded on the dirt ridden floor beside her, no longer useful to keep her body covered and warm. Pain shot through her chest as she coughed and suspected that pneumonia had settled in her chest. She knew Vance had her back up plan and she prayed that Callen and Gibbs would come to rescue them, before it was too late. She needed one last time to see him and tell him. It was what kept her going, to survive the torture and the abuse that her body had inflicted. Being well trained in her field, she had the psychological tactics from to gain strength. She was able to separate her mind from what her body endured, to stay alive until help arrived.

The door in the corner dragged open and male voices in Russian could be heard. She recognised Callen's Russian accent immediately and her adrenaline picked up on hope for an escape. The men were laughing and the man who had repeatedly raped her since being taken, walked straight over to her and pulled her to her feet. If Callen was shocked to see the state she was in, he hid it well.

"No. No more," Alex cried out.

The men laughed. "You now belong to Ivan. You must please Ivan like you have pleased me, you whore." He threw her to Ivan, who grabbed her arm tight, in a possessive way.

"She's not a whore." Another woman's voice cried out from the other side of the room. She's a mother, a good one too. She's my friend and she is not a spy."

"You never told me you had two of them?" Ivan's eyes widened at the thought of having two women to please him. But the words the woman said didn't make sense. How was she a mother? Had Alex found love again and had a child with them? He was confused. But now was not the time or place to ask the woman what she meant. Perhaps it was a cover Alex had set in place and borrowed a child to get close to this woman for the case.

"This one will go home to her husband," the man told him. "She is not for sale." He untied her and hauled her towards the door. "Go home, Katya. Do not ever come back."

Ivan looked over to his friend, Anatoly. "You don't have another to please my friend here?"

The Ukrainian man laughed. "I'm sure you can both share this whore."

Ivan tightened his grip on Alexandra's arm while Anatoly covered her naked body with a blanket. They led her to their car outside and shook hands with the rebels. "It's good doing business with you, Roman." Ivan climbed into the back with Alex, never releasing his hold on her. Anatoly climbed into the drivers seat and drove east for the border.

All strength left Alex once she knew she was safe. She rested her head on Callen's shoulder and fell asleep. The car rattled on the poorly maintained roads and passed through the checkpoint into Russia. Once they arrived back into Rostov-on-Dom, they were greeted by agents with a private plane. "She'll need some clothes," Callen told them and they handed him a bag. "It's all in here. We managed to find where she had been staying and found her bag of belongings."

Callen thanked the agent, and carried Alex up into the plane. She felt lighter than he remembered her to be and the image of her battered naked body made his gut clench tight. His jaw tightened as the anger he'd kept at bay bubbled under the surface. He clipped her into the seat belt and clipped his own on, as their plane taxied down the runway. The plane took off and headed for Nottingham, in England. They would need to stay there for at least a week, to allow Alex's injuries to heal somewhat, before making the final leg of their journey to D.C. Gibbs called through to the Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham and asked for an ambulance to be waiting for their arrival. They wondered if she would have survived her injuries if they had arrived a day later. Her chest rattled and they knew that she was fighting pneumonia.

Once the seat belt sign switched off, Gibbs pulled out the medical box and found what he needed. He inserted a shunt into the back of her hand, but it took five attempts to get it into her vein. Even for someone like Gibbs, who was well trained in attending medical aide to soldiers, he was shocked at how dehydrated Alex was. Whoever had burned her, wanted her dead or lost forever. It was fortunate for them, their old aliases came in good use in this case. Alex had thought her plan through well, but she should never have gone without back up. He attached the saline solution to get her hydrated again. He knew they needed to take a close look at her injuries, but decided not to humiliate her again after all she'd been through. The normally athletic agent had become thin to the bone, bruised and abused in such a short time. He wanted to go back and kill Roman with his bare hands. No one did this to his family and lived.

Although she was not blood, they had become family as a team. They had already lost Kate, he didn't need to lost Alex as well. They'd been his replacement after losing Shannon and Kelly and after that his later three failed marriages. All went well until Callen moved to Los Angeles. Then their family began to crumble. He'd found DiNozzo and asked him to replace Callen, then Alex struggled watching DiNozzo flirt with Kate, and asked for a transfer. That's when McGee came onto his team and all was well until Ari killed Kate. Gibbs was a mess and he wanted leave to it all behind him. He resigned for a while, but his new team needed him and he returned to lead them. Since then he'd managed to keep most of them, except for Ziva. He understood her reason for going and had accepted it. After many attempts with temporary agents, a case had him working with a DEA Analyst who wanted to become an agent. Ellie Bishop was perfect for his team. He always preferred to have at least one woman on the team and she slotted in well. Her being married, helped keep DiNozzo behaving and all had continued smoothly. Then Vance told him about Alex and he couldn't help himself but shout at his team to find her. None of them understood why this case affected him as much, except for DiNozzo, who had worked beside Alex for a while.

Every now and then, Alex would return to consciousness and her hand would go straight for the shunt. "Don't touch it, Ally." Callen's soothing voice brought her focus to his face.

"G?" Her hand touched his cheek, checking that he was real. "You found me."

"Yes, babe, I did." Tears poured down her face and she cried in his arms. It had been like being trapped inside a horror movie, with no ending.

Callen encased her frail body within his strong arms, his own tears threatening to spill. It broke him to see her like this. How could he have left her ten years ago? All his feelings for her returned to the forefront of his mind in a sudden rush. "I'm sorry, Ally. I'm sorry, I left you."

She fell back to sleep again, but her cough concerned them both. Their plane began to make its descent and they were thankful that it wouldn't be much longer before she would get the best medical attention around.

As planned an ambulance met them on the tarmac and took her to the Queen's Medical Centre. Still wrapped in a blanket, Alex was led inside to a team of medical staff, to dress her wounds, have x-rays taken for any broken ribs and bones, antibiotics administered and a rape kit performed. After Callen and Gibbs provided them the details on what they had learned that they had done to her in Ukraine, they went ahead to assess her body's internal organs, head and limbs, to get her onto the road to recovery. The concerned looks from the doctor and nurses when Alex coughed had Callen and Gibbs worried, that she might not be out of the woods just yet.

They waited out in the waiting room for three hours before the doctor came out to speak with them. "I need to speak with her family. Do you have their contact details?"

"I'm her family," Callen responded. His voice felt foreign and his mouth parched as the severity on what she had been through hit him. "I'm her husband."

The doctor nodded and began to tell him about Alex's prognosis. "I'm sorry I don't have much in the way of good news. She was raped, from what we can see, on numerous occasions. She has three broken ribs, but no other broken bones. She's suffered concussion to the rear of her head, however, the swelling is coming down. We've disinfected all her wounds and put ointment on her bruises. We've continued the hydration of fluids and added antibiotics for the pneumonia. It looks like she hasn't been given any food for over a week. I don't know how much longer her body could have survived. In fact, I have no idea how she's survived this far."

"She's a fighter," Gibbs told him. He recognised the guilt and fear in Callen's eyes. He gently squeezed Callen's shoulder for support. "She's going to need you to get through this, Callen."

Callen looked at him and nodded. He felt like his body was on auto pilot, numb from the pain he should be feeling right then. Grief, guilt and fear for Ally. "Can I see her?" He looked over to the doctor who nodded.

"Of course. It will help her with the healing, knowing that you're with her. But I should warn you, she keeps drifting in and out of consciousness. I'm not sure if she'll be ready to move in a week's time to D.C."

He turned to Gibbs. "You should head back home. There's nothing more you can do for her now."

"You sure?" Gibbs knitted his brows together with concern for not only Alex, but also for Callen. They had a great deal to work through, once Alex was well enough. And that appeared a long way off, from the sounds of it.

Callen nodded. "Thanks, Gibbs. For coming with me. I couldn't have done it on my own."

"That's what family is for." Gibbs gave Callen a parting hug and left for Washington D.C.

Callen followed the doctor through the corridor that led them to where Alex lay. He hesitated at the curtain to her cubicle. In the bright lights of the hospital, Alexandra looked deathly pale. Her arms and legs had bandages wrapped about them and another one around her head. Her ribs had been taped together and a single sheet lay over her to cover her naked body. No one had tried to dress her in a hospital gown, until she was strong enough. An escaped tear fell down Callen's cheek as he sat beside her and held her hand. He gently rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb, trying to show her that he was there for her. He'd ruined the best thing in his life that day he flew out of D.C., leaving Alex behind. It took him years to settle in a house, but even that wasn't a home. It felt empty without Alex there to share it with him.

Guilt continued to fester inside of him over the way he'd treated his wife. They would have celebrated fifteen years of marriage in June if he hadn't walked out ten years earlier. They had met at the DEA, before heading to NCIS. They had fallen in love and in an instant, he proposed and found a church minister to marry them. They were in Paris, undercover and he'd pulled her inside the old church and found it almost empty. He'd managed to have their true identities on them, for this purpose. To be properly married as G. Callen and Alexandra Holden. Not under some alias for some cover. What they had felt for each other was very much real. It was the beginning of summer in the romantic city when they had gotten hitched. He'd posted their real identities and marriage certificate home to Gibbs to take good care of it, while they continued their cover. When Gibbs opened the envelope and found their marriage certificate he'd cracked open a bottle of scotch and celebrated down in his basement with Kate. No one else knew about their romance but them, so they kept it to themselves. All had continued to go well for five years, until Callen took the job at OSP. After that, Gibbs wrote the rule number twelve, never date a coworker. In their case, never marry a coworker. They were the reason he had that rule in place. He didn't want another Callen and Alex to destroy his team.

_A/N: There shouldn't have been any surprises there to discover that Callen and Alex were married. The title of this story gave it away. How hard it must have been for Callen to see his wife on death's door in Ukraine, battered and stripped of all of her clothing. Love to hear from you, please leave a review._


	4. Chapter 4

**Till Death Do Us Part**

_Disclaimer: NCISLA characters belong to Shane Brennan. All original characters and this story are mine._

* * *

**Chapter 4**

**Nottingham, England — April 4th, 2014**

One week turned into three, before the doctor would allow Alexandra to fly home to D.C. She'd come in and out of consciousness for most of that time, but she'd turned the corner a few days into the third week, providing them hope of a full recovery. That's if anyone really could fully recover from what she'd suffered. She faced six months of waiting for further blood results on whether Roman had passed any life threatening diseases onto her. Not that she was eager to have a relationship with a man after all she'd been through. In all the ten years her husband had been gone, she had been faithful and never even accepted the many dates offered to her. She was focused on her life and her daughter. Katie was her life and with the support from her parents and siblings, she managed to provide a well grounded and strong family upbringing for her daughter.

It was the subject of Katie that caused tension between Callen and Alex during her stay in the Queen's Medical Centre. When Callen thought Alex was hallucinating, she was actually trying to tell him about their daughter. But he got confused and thought she was trying to tell him about their friend Kate dying. Frustrated, Alex fell back into unconsciousness, her strength waning easily. Eventually, when the fever broke, she became more alert, although she remained very tired. Alex opened her eyes and looked over at the sleeping form of her husband. She laid there watching him twitch and shuffle in his sleep. Then he would mumble something in Russian, causing her to smile. After ten years apart, he was still very much the same man she'd fallen in love with.

"What are you smiling about?" He opened his cerulean eyes and stared back at her paler blue ones. They were a stark contrast to her black raven hair that made her look even more pale in her state of health. But he'd noticed the sparkle return into her eyes and more colour had returned to her skin.

"You. After all of these years, you've not changed." Callen shifted into a more upright position and stretched out his stiff joints.

"I've changed. Well Sam likes to think I have." Alex's visage darkened at the mention of his partner. For a moment she would have preferred it to be just the two of them than talk about anyone else. He leaned forward and took her hand in his, but she pulled it away. "I'm sorry, Ally. For leaving you like I did."

"Are you?" She raised her brows, looking intently over to him. "If I'd known it would have taken for me to go missing to get you to come and see me again, I would have done it years ago."

"You never came to visit me either," he told her in his defence. He stood up and sat on the edge of the bed, careful of her ribs.

"Yes, I did." Anger flared in her blue eyes, surprising him.

He furrowed his brow. "When?"

"When I almost lost you for good. Five bullets to your upper body, three into your chest. I sat beside your bed for five days, holding your hand and praying that you would live…"

"You sat with me after I was shot?" Alex nodded.

"While your partner sat out in the hallway, frustrated that he was not allowed to sit with you and he wondered who the hell I was and why I was allowed to sit with you." She remembered the shock on his face when he was shut out of ICU and she was led inside. No one was able to tell him who she was, as she requested. When he managed to corner her on her rare occasions of leaving Callen for some food, she'd told him that she was a ghost and family. "But don't worry, G. I never shamed you and told him that you had deserted your wife who was pregnant with your child."

"What?" Shock spread across his face over the news. "We had a child and you never told me?" Now it was his turn to show his anger.

"Now it's my fault because I never TOLD you? How was I suppose to call you, when you had no home and your new cell number was a secret? You never rang me once to ask why I never followed you to L.A. To your stupid City of Angels. Yet when I was there, sitting by your side, I prayed for you to survive so you could meet our daughter," her voice broke. "I told you five years ago about Katie, but you don't remember. She was four years old then. Cute as a button, daddy's little girl with her blonde hair and your blue eyes. Not like mine, but cerulean like yours, G. Every day I look at her and I see you. The man I loved and have continued to love for every damn day that you've been away since. Who knows why, when you left me to raise Katie alone."

Callen stood and walked over to the window. A tear betrayed him and fell down his cheeks. He quickly wiped it away, angry at himself. Once he had reined in his emotions, he turned and faced her. "Why didn't you follow me to Los Angeles?" It was the one question he'd wanted to know for all of these years. He'd felt abandoned by her with his history growing up in the welfare system, it had broke him to find that she too had left him. But now he was beginning to doubt his previous thoughts. After what Gibbs had told him, he began to realise that perhaps it was he who had abandoned her.

"I was going to come," Alex replied and took in a ragged breath. "Until your precious Hetty called me and told me not to follow you."

Callen's eyes widened in disbelief. "She what?"

"Hetty told me to stay in D.C., that she didn't want me to join OSP." Anger flared again in her eyes. "That is why she's been kept in the dark about you being brought to D.C. At least I have Leon on my side. Jenny failed me when she allowed Hetty to take you away from us. He agrees that she had no right to split us up. We were a family. No one breaks up families. It's not right."

"Why would she tell you not to come? I don't understand. She's never said a word." He tried to think on the times he'd tried to bring up the subject of Alex and realised that Hetty had diverted the subject very cleverly and never answered him. "I tried to find out when you were coming to join the team. The team was coming together, she'd partnered me with Sam, then Kensi and Mike joined the team." He looked up at her with the realisation that Hetty had deceived him. "Did she tell you why?"

Alex looked away, the pain from Hetty's call still haunted her.

"Alex, please look at me." He saw the tears well up in her eyes and all his anger towards her dissipated.

"She told me that I wasn't good for you. That she knew who I really was and that there was no way she would allow us to be together again." She furrowed her brow. "I still don't understand what she meant by who I really was? Did she mean that she knew that we were married?"

Callen sat back down on the bed and wrapped his arms around her. "I have no idea what she was referring to. But I promise you that I will get to the bottom of this." He tilted her chin up and gently wiped her tears away. "Do you trust me?"

Alex nodded. "Always, G."

**Los Angeles — April 7th, 2014**

The previous week had been another long week in the Office of Special Projects. Sam's mood was testing them all around him and Hetty had had enough. She'd given them all a long weekend off and now sat at her desk alone. She dialled her phone and demanded to speak with Vance. "No, I will not wait, I have tried to speak with the director for the past four weeks and he's not returned any of my calls." She was at boiling point alongside Sam Hanna.

"Hetty, what can I do for you?" He had Gibbs in his office and both men knew that this call was going to be a challenging one.

"What can you do for me? Now you ask me that? Ever since you had Owen pull my team leader away from his duties here in Los Angeles, you have avoided my calls."

"Hetty, we've been extremely busy. And I'm sure with a man down, you are also. I have arranged for a replacement for Agent Callen until he's able to return to his position at OSP. His name is Special Agent Adam Green and he's coming from the Boston office. Agent Hanna is experienced enough to lead the team in Agent Callen's absence."

Gibbs stood up as Callen and Alex entered the office. Vance had the call on loud speaker, Gibbs quietly ushered them over to the table to sit. He was pleased to see how much healthier Alex looked from the last time he'd seen her. He hugged her gently, before he allowed her to sit.

"You've what? No, Leon. I choose my own people and I will not have you send just anybody into my team." She scrunched up a piece of paper tight in her hand as she tried to rein in her anger.

"In case you've forgotten, Henrietta, I'm the Director of NCIS. I have the final say. And I am telling you, not asking you if you want Agent Green on your team. He will be arriving later today. Please ask Agent Hanna to pick him up from LAX at seventeen hundred and arrange for some accommodation while he's placed with you." Leon disconnected the call and huffed out a deep breath. "That went well, don't you think?"

Gibbs smirked and nodded. "I think you told her."

Alex looked worriedly over to Vance. "Is that wise to send Green to OSP? You know he's the one who burned me in Donetsk."

"It's good to see you home safe, again, Alexandra. Looking better than Gibbs saw you last, I take it?" Leon sat down opposite her at the large conference table and leaned over towards her. "Alex, this is the best way to keep Green under the radar. He won't be able to sneeze without Hetty knowing. She runs a tight ship. Isn't that right, Agent Callen?"

"Yes, Sir." Callen looked from Alex to Vance and then over to Gibbs. "I'm confused. Why have you sent Green in to be my replacement? Aren't I returning to my position at OSP?"

"Not for now, Agent Callen. I am righting a wrong. I am giving you both a second chance to make your marriage work. To give your daughter a family life with both parents in it. I know what toll it has had on my own kids with Jackie gone. I don't want any kid to go through what my own have." He looked to Alex. "I think it's time for that undercover operation you had planned a few months back, Alex."

"What operation is that?" Callen asked confused. "I thought you were only doing analyst work for NCIS since you had Katie."

"Agent Callen. Alex has been leading a team since she returned from maternity leave. A team that doesn't exist. If you think OSP is a secret team, well think again. You're famous within the federal agencies, and your location is no longer a secret thanks to some in house dealings. But the team Alex has been leading doesn't have a name or a base. Only a very few people and now yourself know of their existence.

"That's been my cover, G. I couldn't do this undercover operation without you. We need to be a family for this one. With my cover blown by Green, it's best if I disappear. And thanks to Katya blabbing that I was a mother to the Ukrainians, Katie cannot return to her school, nor us to our old lives. It's no longer safe, we have to either go into witness protection or move to Santa Barbara for this new operation.

"California's Santa Barbara?" He raised his brow, surprised by what was Vance was offering them.

"Is there any others?" Alex looked over to Gibbs. "Has Owen arrived yet?"

"Yes, he's on route from the airport."

Alex nodded. "Owen Granger will be our handler. He doesn't know anything about where you've been so he couldn't tell Hetty. But now we need his help on this operation. Your analyst, Nell Jones, I believe she can be trusted to work with Owen on this. They are our only contacts within NCIS. No one else will know who we are or where we're from."

"You're not ready for another operation and what do you mean by us needing to be a family for this? Isn't this placing Katie at risk by taking her with us?

A knock on the door indicated that Granger had arrived. "Come in, Owen."

Owen Granger stepped inside and nodded when he saw Callen sitting at the table. His eyes moved to Alex and he knitted his brow, slightly confused. He'd never met the woman who sat beside Callen, but was curious over why he had been called in. He studied her and noticed some cuts healing on the back of her hand and on her face, although she'd done well to cover them up with makeup.

"Owen, please take a seat," Leon suggested. "This is where I need to brief you on something that no one outside this room is to be told, unless I personally read them into this operation."

Owen looked between Callen and Alex, not getting why Callen had been pulled from his post and where he'd been for the past few weeks. And yet the raven beauty had not been introduced to him.

"It's a tough business that we live in, Owen. Sometimes we find ourselves in a world of trusting very few people. My question for you, is, do you trust Henrietta Lange?" Leon studied his assistant director to see how he was taking the question.

"No," he replied in his usual gruff voice. "That's why you placed me over her in L.A."

Leon smiled. "Well answered. Now, do yo trust Miss Jones?"

Owen nodded. "I do." Callen raised his brows, intrigued over the assistant director's answers.

"Why is it that you don't trust Hetty, but you trust Nell? Hetty's been training Nell for something more. What makes you think that Nell isn't a spy set in place from her?" Callen put forward his question, he needed to be sure that the older man could be trusted.

"Because I placed Nell where she is and she answers to me," Owen replied, meeting Callen's gaze.

"But you didn't come across from the CIA until after Nell arrived at OSP." Callen responded, trying to ascertain what the hell was going on in his office back in Los Angeles.

Owen heaved out a sigh and looked over to Leon. "What does he know?"

"He knows a little. I think it's your turn to tell him your part in all of this." Leon stood up. "I've got a meeting with the President. If you'll excuse me. Alex, take care of your husband, won't you? We want him in one piece when we return him back to his partner."

Alex nodded. "Of course. But you know he's a big boy and he can look after himself." She looked over at a very confused Callen. "Except for when he gets shot in the chest."

"Now I am very confused, would you all please explain what the hell is going on?" Callen raised his voice as frustration took over.

"It's okay, G. Let Owen explain himself." Owen met her gaze and raised one brow slightly amused over the woman before him. She was very much in control of what was going on and she appeared to have Callen under the thumb.

"If I may have your name first, before I continue? Just so I know who I am spilling my secrets to."

Alex smiled. "Of course, how rude of me. I'm Alexandra Callen. G's wife. But known in the world of NCIS as Alexandra Holden. I go by my maiden name, very few people know that G and I have been married for almost fifteen years. Yet, Hetty ensured that she separated us, which is why I don't trust her."

"Did she know that you were married?" This was news to him indeed. And he thought he'd kept a close tab on Clara's son.

"She never said, but she did warn me to stay out of Los Angeles and that she knew who I really was and that I wasn't any good for G. Now whether she was implying that she knew we were married or something else, that has been a puzzle to me for the past ten years. Whatever her reason behind it, she's broken up my family and left me to raise our daughter alone."

"You have a daughter?" Owen looked over to Callen, surprised.

"Katie. She's nine years old and needs her father in her life." She turned her gaze over to Callen and she saw how confused he was over everything. Hetty had done a good job on him, drawing him in to trust her. It was time for him to cut his ties with the woman and realise where his responsibilities lay. Callen hadn't had the opportunity to meet their daughter yet and the whole family reunion had her heart beating heavily in her chest. She looked at her watch and knew that her parents were arriving with Katie soon. "Now, Owen, can you please explain to Callen why Vance placed you as Assistant Director and head over Hetty. We're running out of time."

"Leon was concerned about reports that Hetty had trained young children who had no family to become trained assassin. To go anywhere and kill for her. Not assigned to the U.S. Government, but to her. They would even move house and city for her and follow her into whatever country she found herself in trouble in and for them to rescue her." He looked at Callen. "Sound familiar, Agent Callen?"

Callen shifted uneasily in his chair, knowing that he had been spot on with his own actions with regards to Hetty. Leaving Alex behind in D.C. was living proof of that and then later on when he'd tried to quit his position at OSP just so he could rescue Hetty from the Comescus. "I see your point."

"Leon asked me to place someone inside OSP and Nell was the perfect fit. She had the skills that would attract Hetty and she caught the bait. She thinks that she is training Nell, but what she doesn't know is that Nell is already a fully fledged field agent, who happens to be amazingly brilliant and also a great analyst. And she answers to me and only me." Owen poured himself a glass of water to swallow.

"How do I know if I can trust you?" Callen felt betrayed from all sides, from Hetty, Nell and Granger. No one appeared to be who they said they were.

"Because I am family," Owen caught Callen's attention. "I am your mother's cousin. Clara and I grew up together here in D.C. We even joined the CIA together and she was as good as her father. My uncle."

"My grandfather, George Callen, was your uncle?" Callen knew there was more to Granger from that first moment he'd met him, but until now he hadn't been able to put a finger on it. He was family. His mother's cousin.

"Yes. My mother's older brother. I've been watching over you and your sister since you were little. But you were a more difficult one to help. Hetty had her eyes set on you. We managed to fake your sister's death and fool Hetty, but she already held control over you. She moved you around to so many foster families so you would never feel like you belonged or were loved by anyone but her. However, it looks like she failed because you fell in love with Alex here. And that must have peeved her to no end."

"Amy, she's alive?" Callen's eyes bulged. Another secret kept from me. "You know my name?"

Owen nodded. "Yes, Amy is very much alive, living a normal life far away from the sights of Hetty. Once she graduated from College, she moved to Canada and has lived there ever since. She's married with four kids but she misses you. I try to update her on you as much as I can without Hetty catching on."

Anger surged through Callen's body and fisted his hands. "What is my name?"

"Ah!" Owen ran his hand over his face and looked at his watch. "Well, you see, I was asked not to tell you."

"What do you mean? It's my name for goodness sake." He rose from his seat, ready to pry the answer from Owen himself. "Do you know what it's like to live your life not knowing who you are?"

"Because he's doing what I asked him to do." Callen spun around and found himself face to face with a man in his sixties, greying throughout his dark head of hair.

"Who are you?" This was not what he expected when he arrived back in D.C. with Alex. He felt like his head was spinning and that he was caught up in the strangest of dreams.

"You don't remember me, moi syn?" The Russian accent slipped from his lips and Callen's eyes widened at the similarities to the film clip he'd watched hundreds of times since it had been found inside of Michael Rhinehart's home.

"Papa?"

Nikita Reznikov nodded his head and tears welled up in his eyes. "Gavrill, moi syn."

Callen stepped forward and hugged his father. Thirty-nine years had been too long for them to be separated. "Gavrill, that is my name?"

Nikita nodded. "Yes, it is."


	5. Chapter 5

**Till Death Do Us Part**

_Disclaimer: NCISLA characters belong to Shane Brennan. All original characters and this story are mine._

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**Chapter 5**

**Washington D.C — April 7th, 2014**

Alex knew that Owen had something important to tell Callen, but she never expected any of this. Leon had been discrete with all that he knew and she respected him for it. But it all made sense to her now, on why Vance was so ready to support her on her own endeavour to get her husband back. He already suspected something was amiss with the old woman and had taken the move to set Owen Granger over her. Now she discovered that he was family to Callen and he was ready to help her on their next operation. She found herself in a much stronger position than she had expected. She'd expected a fight. A fight with Leon, a fight with Callen and a fight with Owen Granger. But what she found was support. It overwhelmed her and with all that she had been through, she found it too much. She was still very weak compared to her usual self and suddenly found herself emotional.

She stood up to get some air when she suddenly collapsed. Gibbs moved in and picked her up and laid her on the sofa. Callen moved beside her with concern. "We need a doctor."

Gibbs pulled his cell out and called Ducky. "We need your medical assistance in Leon's office."

Doctor Mallard stopped the autopsy he was in the midst of and handed the reigns over to his assistant, Jimmy. "I'm needed upstairs. You'll have to complete this one on your own."

Jimmy watched his boss and friend grab his medical bag and exit the morgue.

When Ducky entered, he was surprised to find so many people in the room. "My dear, Alexandra, I didn't realise you were here." He moved over to the sofa and studied her for a moment. "What happened?" He looked over at Gibbs and Callen and saw their concern for her.

"She's only just been released from hospital." Callen stood back to allow the doctor room beside her. "She stood up and collapsed."

"I need to be updated on her medical history to help me treat her." Alex opened her eyes and placed her hand on Ducky's arm.

"I'm okay, Ducky. It just got too much for me." She tried to sit up, but Ducky insisted that she stayed lying down. She looked over at Gibbs. "I need you to brief G and Owen on the operation. We're running out of time. My parents will be here soon with Katie."

Gibbs nodded and ushered the others to the conference room. Callen hesitated, he didn't want to leave her but Gibbs placed his hand on his shoulder and led him out. "I'm sorry, Mr Reznikov, but this will need to be discussed in private. I know you want time with your son but this needs to be done."

Nikita looked to his son. "I will wait out in the tea room. When you are ready to see me, Gavrill, I will be waiting for you." He knew as much as Owen had been allowed to tell him about his son over the years and he understood the importance of keeping ones government operations secret. But his own country had betrayed him and he was now a political refugee, who spent most of his days living near his daughter in Canada.

Callen nodded, his own emotions were running high. He wanted and needed the time with his father after being apart from him for so long. But he also understood that he had a job to do and he continued to worry about Alexandra's health. After three weeks, she was still weak from her ordeal.

Gibbs led Callen and Owen into the conference room. "Owen, there's been a lot going on recently that requires Callen to take Alex and their daughter into protective custody. We have a mole in our agency whom cannot be trusted. He burned Alex in Donetsk which almost resulted in her death, if it wasn't our old aliases being available to rescue her recently. He will be closely watched in OSP by Hetty until we have enough to charge him with treason. Hetty knows nothing about our suspicions, only you and Nell Jones will be aware of why Leon has placed him as Callen's replacement, with Sam Hanna staying on as team leader."

Owen looked over to Callen and saw him fist his hands together under the table. He knew that Callen only did this when anger surged through his body. "You just tell me what you want us to do and we'll do it."

Gibbs nodded. "We have another operation that will take Callen and Alex to Santa Barbara. We have a situation of low lying terrorists who have been meeting at a country club up there. Leon has managed to place Callen in as the new manager and he'll keep tabs on these men. He'll report to you on the details and Alex will send her team in to extract them out of circulation. We don't know how long this operation will go on for, but it's imperative that no one other than yourself and Nell Jones know about Callen and his family's whereabouts. If Green gets wind of Alex being alive, he'll go to any lengths to stop her from talking about his dealings in Donetsk."

Owen nodded. "Not a problem. How will we meet? Hetty might get wind of us communicating."

"Nell has communicated with Kensi while she was with you in Afghanistan without being caught. We'll use that form of communication, but it will be important for her to keep it out of sight of Eric Beale. We can't have him slipping up. You'll be Callen's father, visiting from time to time."

Callen's head lifted up and he opened his mouth to protest, but from the look Gibbs gave him, he knew it would be futile to argue. I have your new aliases here. Read this and get to know your new profiles." Gibbs handed them a folder each. "I'll see if Alex is okay to join us."

Callen and Owen opened their folders and scanned the notes that Alex had put together six months earlier. Callen's new alias, Tom Sheers, was the new manager at the Santa Barbara Country Club. He was married to Kelly and they have a nine year old daughter, Phoebe. His father, Lewis, lives in Los Angeles and he visits them as often as possible. The cover was solid and he smiled when he noted Alex's new occupation of a History teacher at the Santa Barbara High School. This was a well tuned operation and he remembered Alex's love of history and he knew that she would be great in this role. Although she would have to wait until September for the new school year to begin, it gave Alex the time that she needed to get her strength back before she was thrown into teaching. They had a four bedroom house in close proximity to the beach, Country Club and schools. It was a second chance for the three of them to be the family that they should have been ten years ago.

He had a lot of catching up to do, not only with Alex to repair their marriage, but also with Katie. He still had to get his head around the fact that they had a daughter who was already very much her own person. He'd missed so much of her childhood and he was prepared to do whatever it took to make up for the lost time. He just hoped that he didn't screw this up, he doubted if Alex would forgive him a second time. Everything that Owen had told him about Hetty made him realise how much his boss had screwed up his life. He had family out there, but she moved him about way too often, with many of his placements in horrible homes. He'd suffered a great deal of abuse from many violent foster fathers, who should never been given custody of any child, ever. How hadn't he seen it clearly before? He had been the happiest with Alex, yet he'd walked away from her just like that for Hetty. He shook his head and stood up to pace the room. He stopped in his tracks and looked at Granger. "You knew what she had done, yet you said nothing to me. Why?" He needed to get this out of his system before he met his daughter. He had no idea how he was going to react to meeting Katie for the first time. Part of him wanted to run with them and hide from the evil world he'd worked hard to fight against. The other part of him wanted to confront Hetty and yell at her, although he knew it would do nothing to change the past. He had to acknowledge his part in this too, how he had walked away from his wife and child. He needed to step up and face his own responsibilities and be the husband he promised to Alex almost fifteen years earlier and to be the father that he should have been to his daughter, ten years ago.

"I tried to talk to you, Callen. But it was almost impossible to speak with you alone. Hetty has that mission wired so she knows everything. I don't trust her and we're yet to find out who she really is. This name she's been using for the past fifty years is not her real identity."

Callen raised his brow in surprise. He knew she had many aliases, but to think that Henrietta Lange was not her real name made his muscles tense.

"Nell's been trying to find out who she really is. What country she was born in and where her real allegiance lies."

"Why did she choose me?" He thought back to the conversation Grace Stevens had had with him in the firing range. About the life they led, and how they had nothing in their lives outside the job for Hetty.

"She seemed fixated on your mother, Clara, when we were in the CIA. I'm not sure why, but something makes me suspect that she might have had something to do with your mother's true identity being burned with the Comescus. She was her handler and she never showed up to get the three of you out of Romania," Owen admitted. "It's not just Green we need proof of his criminal acts, but what Hetty's been up to. This is why Leon had me come across from the CIA to protect you. Especially when you ran off to Romania to rescue her. It made him realise just what hold she has on her people." Owen stood and walked over to him.

Callen's body screamed with anger over the past that Owen was telling him. After all that he'd done for Hetty, only to discover that she had failed him. If what Owen said about her being responsible for his mother's death was true, then he needed to know more about her too.

"She fell for the White Ghost bait, Callen. She was set up and she fell for it. She sent Kensi in because she knew that she wouldn't kill Jack Simons, her ex-fiancé. It was unfortunate that Kensi broke my instructions and ran off to find Jack and was kidnapped."

"Then we almost got killed trying to save her from the Taliban."

Owen nodded.

"We need to warn the others, about Hetty." Worry for his partner and team mates grew deep within him.

"I'm watching things carefully. We need to tread very carefully. Leon has a plan that will involve her being brought before Congressman Thomas to answer for her actions. But much more dangerous events are occurring elsewhere, and if we don't act now to keep you and rest of your team safe, Hetty will have you all following her to wherever next she ventures and place you in a situation that will be dire for all of you."

"Where do you think she's from?" Callen furrowed his brow, trying to think over it all.

"My suspicions is Romania. It's the only reason that fits on why she was fixated on your mother. With the family feud between your grandfather and the Comescus, Hetty would have known about this for longer than the rest of us. I also believe that she has always known about your father's work rescuing people out of Eastern Germany and may have played a part in his arrest in Russia."

Callen shook his head and banged his fist onto the table. "If this is true, then she's the one whose at fault for everything I've endured throughout my life. I don't think I could ever work for her again. I need to know for certain before I see her again."

"We're trying our best. But it looks like Leon is doing what he can to keep you away from her in the mean time. She's been calling him for the past three weeks and he's not answered any of them."

"Until today."

Owen knitted his brow together.

"When Alex and I entered, Vance had Hetty on loud speaker. She sounded peeved alright. He's sent Green in to be my replacement." He looked over to the older man. "Make sure Sam and the others are safe from Hetty and Green. I can't be there to protect them."

"I promise you, that Nell and I will do everything possible to ensure they remain safe."

Callen nodded, thankful to have family around.


	6. Chapter 6

**Till Death Do Us Part**

_Disclaimer: NCISLA characters belong to Shane Brennan. All original characters and this story are mine._

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**Chapter 6**

**Navy Yard, Washington D.C.**

Ducky had just finished his assessment of Alexandra when Gibbs entered. He saw the concern in the senior agent's eyes for the younger woman. "She's fine, Gibbs. She's tough, you know that. It'll just take her longer to recover from her injuries." Doctor Donald Mallard's muscles in his stomach had tensed at the information that Alex had provided him with. What she had been through recently had anger surge through him. He hated with a vengeance any man taking advantage of a woman at the best of times. But what she'd endured had made him livid. How could any man do that to a woman? He'd asked her questions to assess her mental and emotional health, to see if she was ready to go ahead on her next mission. She was strong mentally and emotionally, especially after he realised what she'd put up with over the past ten years. But she could snap at any moment, it happened to the strongest of soldiers. And that was what worried him the most.

"Getting away from here with G and Katie will do us all good. Time to become the family we should have been." She looked between Ducky and Gibbs and knew that they both doubted her being ready. "I'll have a few months before I have to teach at the local high school, I will be ready by then. It'll give us time to adjust to being a family." She hoped her plan worked. It was what had kept her going for this long.

"Mom?" She looked over as her parents entered with Katie. Her daughter ran over to her and wrapped her arms around her. She cringed with pain from the force of the hug.

"Katie, be gentle with your mom." Gibbs told her gently.

Katie looked concerned over to her mom, releasing her. Her mom had been away for five weeks, the longest since she could remember. "Mom?"

Alex gave her daughter a warm smile, to comfort her. "I'm okay, sweetheart. My ribs are still sore, that's all." Alex looked over to her parents and saw their eyes glisten from worry for her. "Mom, Dad."

"Sweetheart. We've been worried about you." Her mother, Christine gently wrapped her arms around her. Tears fell after five worrying weeks.

"Gibbs and G rescued me."

Oscar Holden's jaw tensed at the mention of his son-in-law.

"No Dad. Please don't get angry. I've explained the circumstances to you before. We're not going to go over it again."

"He deserted you when you needed him the most." Oscar had threatened to hunt his son-in-law down over the years to make him face his responsibilities as husband and father. But Alex had been quite adamant for him to leave it alone.

Alex shook her head. "He didn't know about Katie. You can't blame him for that."

"You were his wife and still are, as a matter of fact. He should never have left you back then."

"No, I shouldn't have." Oscar turned around and found him face to face with the man of their conversation. Callen stepped forward, ready to face the music. He knew he had let Alex and Katie down. It was time to accept his part in this. It was the only way to move forward. "I can't change the past. But I am here now. For both of them."

"You have a lot of nerve to show your face around here." Oscar stood between his daughter and son-in-law, ready to give Callen a piece of his own mind. He'd waited ten years for his opportunity.

"He rescued me, Dad. I would be dead if it wasn't for him. He came when I needed him. When it mattered." Alex tried to appease her father and the tense situation between him and her husband.

"It mattered ten years ago, Ally. Damn it. Why can't you acknowledge what he's done to you?" Anger rippled underneath the surface.

"Don't, Dad. I know more than anyone what he's done. If I can forgive him, so can you." Ally stepped around her father and faced him.

Callen looked over and saw his daughter for the first time. He hitched in his breath looking at the blonde haired, blued eyed girl. Alex was right. She was just like him. Her eyes were as blue as his. Her face shaped just like his. His heart pounded inside his chest from nerves. "Katie." His voice sounded foreign to him. His mouth went dry. Realisation of what he had abandoned, hit him hard. "I'm sorry." A tear streaked down his face, as emotion took hold of him.

Katie furrowed her brow and looked at the man who looked just like her. Matching blue eyes and same shaped face as her own. She'd studied her own features in the mirror many times over the years, trying to figure out what her dad looked like. An old photo of her parents were cut up inside the heart locket that hung on a silver chain. She'd worn it around her neck every day since she was four. Her mom on the left, her dad on the right. She'd prayed every night for as long as she could remember, for her dad to come home to them. And there he stood, his eyes welled up with tears. He cared, she realised. He really cared about her mother and for her. There was no other explanation in her mind. At nine, she knew a lot, so she thought. But there were a lot she still didn't understand. Like why had her dad left her mom when she was in her mother's tummy. Her nana had explained to her that her mom had been in trouble and had been rescued by her uncle Jethro and her dad. And here he was standing a few metres from her. Her prayer had been answered. "Daddy." She took the steps towards her dad and ran into his arms.

Callen wrapped his arms around his daughter. It felt so good to hold his girl. Disbelief that she had welcomed him so easily and that she was his, was evident on his face. "I'm sorry, Katie. I'm sorry I let you and your mom down. But I'm here for you both now. I'm not going anywhere without you." Tears fell down his cheeks, as he finally felt complete. He was reunited with his wife and father, his sister was alive and now he held his daughter in his arms. In such a short time, he'd gone from no family, to more than he could ever wish for.

"She's just like you, moy syn." Callen turned and found his father standing in the doorway beside Owen.

"Daddy?" Katie looked between her dad and this man who spoke with a funny accent.

Callen turned to face his daughter. "Katie, this is my father. Your Dedushka." He saw the confusion on her face. "It's Russian for Grandpa."

She recognised the family resemblance and hugged the older man. She looked over to her poppy, who furrowed his brow at the stranger. "Now I have both of my grandpas with me."

Her smile took Callen's breath away. So beautiful and forgiving. She took his hand and her poppy's. "We're family, Poppy. Please don't be angry with Daddy any more."

How could he refuse his granddaughter? Oscar Holden's heart melted. He nodded. "Okay, Katie. Just for you." Oscar held out his hand and was met with Callen's and they shook. "But I warn you, Callen. If you abandon either of them again, I'll hunt you down and you'll have to answer to me."

Callen nodded. "I expect nothing less from you, Sir." He knew Oscar would follow through on his threat, with him being a former FBI agent himself. Retired from the Bureau for the past fifteen years, and now owned his own business contracting for the government. A man for hire to do whatever they needed him for. Exactly why Callen clearly understood Oscar's threat. The fact that he'd managed to escape him for the past ten years, attributed to his ability to vanish like a ghost. He doubted he'd be able to the next time.

**LAX, Los Angeles**

Sam's foul mood tripled after he hung up his cell from Hetty. He'd heard her own frustrations over the call and he didn't blame her for his partner's absence. But it didn't waver his anger that rippled under the surface over having to collect his partner's replacement. He huffed out a large sigh as the jazz music blared out the opened windows as he pulled up into a car parking space at LAX. He took another look at the photo of Agent Adam Green, who he was to settle in the apartment that Nell had texted through to him fifteen minutes earlier. Nell was known for being efficient, but he was surprised at how swift she was in arranging the newcomer's accommodation. None of them knew how long Green would be with them, or how long Callen would be away. It was the not knowing that annoyed Sam the most. He had to admit, he missed his partner more than he realised. He'd promised himself that he'd go easier on him on his return. He shook his head and realised that the reason why he was hard on him was because he cared. Cared about him like a brother, and that admission in itself was a reality wake up for the former Navy SEAL.

Sam stood alone, waiting. He scanned the passengers as they walked towards the baggage collection point for the flight from Boston. Boston, he mused. Not too far from Brooklyn where he'd grown up. They'd be a great deal of fire between them if he's a Mets fan and not a Red Sox fan, Sam realised. There was too much rivalry between his beloved Yankees and the Mets to cause havoc before he'd drop the guy off at his new apartment. Let's hope the guy moved there from some other part of the country and still followed his home team. He went over the details of Green once more in his head, as he continued to scan the people around him. Medium height and build, thick head of dark hair and green eyes. He'll miss those sky blue eyes before the week was over. Green ain't the clear blue orbs he'd been accustomed to. Heck, he'd already missed G since that first day he flew out to D.C. Sam had it bad and he needed to suck it up and welcome his new partner. They'd have to spend a bit of time in the gym sparring before their next case. He just hoped they got that time. Perhaps today would be a good time. No. Got to let the guy settle in.

"Sam Hanna?" A bleary green eyed, medium build, dark haired man stood in front of him with a raised brow.

"Welcome to L.A., Green. Got all your bags?" Sam studied the younger man. Mid thirties, still got a bit to learn, Sam decided. He'd yet had time to read his file, however, he'd already made his mind up that Green still needed to watch and learn.

"Yeah, thanks." He allowed Sam to heft his large bag over his shoulder and followed him outside and across to the multi storey car park. When Sam hauled it into the trunk of the black challenger, a smile swept over Green's face. "Now that's travelling in style. Had it long?"

"Long enough." Sam noticed the glint in Green's eyes and knew he had to explain the rules straight away. "Hetty will arrange for your wheels. This girl is mine. When we're out in the field together, you ride shotgun. Got it?"

Sam couldn't wait to drop the guy off and screech off somewhere to vent the steam that would explode out of his body soon enough. He was annoyed that Vance had sent someone over who he'd have to train. Sure, he was a trained agent. But the guy needed to understand the way Sam worked and for them to get along and be dependable with each other. He needed to be upfront. It wasn't Green's fault that he'd lost his partner, so why did he feel the need to be so harsh with him? He took in a deep breath and decided to be more civil. "So, Green. What do I need to know about you before I trust you to have my back?"


	7. Chapter 7

**Till Death Do Us Part**

_Disclaimer: NCISLA characters belong to Shane Brennan. All original characters and this story are mine._

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**Chapter 7**

**Navy Yard, Washington D.C.**

Alex knew it was going to be tough to lie to her parents. She'd done it for the past eight years, when she'd told them that she was working as an analyst at NCIS. But now she knew that she had to tell them another lie. That they were going into witness protection, not on another operation and taking Katie with them. Her father knew what life as a federal agent was like and he'd studied her closely over the years, when she came and asked them to look after Katie for a few days or a week, while she went away for work. She was good at lying, her job required it of her.

But her parents knew her well, her father the best out of anyone. She was just like him. Thought like him, behaved in the same way, in the same situation. They were close. Very close, like many father-daughter relationships. Well, the good ones, anyway. From the moment Alexandra came into their lives, she'd melted Oscar's heart and they'd forged a solid bond from the word go. Everyone commented over the years just how much like her father she was. She couldn't have been more his daughter, even if she was their biological daughter. And that was the interesting part of it all. They had no blood ties and only a very few knew the truth. That Christine and Oscar had adopted her. They took her into their family when she was only ten months old. She'd been left alone after her mother's body was found lifeless and bloodied on the bed in their family home.

It was Oscar who had found her and fell in love with the dark haired, blue eyed baby. Her eyes bulged out from her face, enhancing her petite features of her button nose and sweet rose coloured lips. Her chubby cheeks were red from crying and she had just learned to stand up on her own two chubby legs. It was Oscar who soothed her and took her home. No family came forward and by the time Alexandra turned two, she was officially theirs. Her name and that of her mother's was all that they knew. They had found her birth certificate in her mother's name, but no name had been provided for her father. But that didn't matter to Christine and Oscar. Alexandra was theirs. And she had slotted into the Holden's family life as if she belonged there from the word go. Her siblings came along after her, they had no idea that she was adopted. For her protection, they kept it a secret, incase her father came looking for her. They had no idea who he was and if he even knew about her. The FBI suspected that it may have been him who killed her mother. But they'd never found her killer.

Oscar was determined from early on to train Alexandra to protect herself. From a young age, she had karate lessons and excelled. As she grew, more and more hand to hand combat training was given until she was old enough to hold a gun in her hand and shoot. Alex was twelve when her father first took her to a firing range. Before then, she'd been educated on the responsibility of holding a gun. The damage it could do and how easily things could go wrong if the weapon was not respected. She could dissemble a gun, clean it and put it back together again by age eleven. She was good. Real good, Oscar noted. She could have gone on to represent the country and won gold at the Olympic Games had they allowed her. But they needed to keep her safe. He kept his focus on training her so she could protect herself. And it had worked. She was forty years old and had survived a great deal of challenging moments. Not that Oscar knew of any of them. But he had trained her to be the best of the best, which earned her the position to lead her own secret team within NCIS.

Until recently. Anger bubbled under the surface over the danger that had almost resulted in his daughter's death. After three and a half weeks, she was still weak and in no fit state to protect herself. She was in a situation beyond escaping on her own. But she had a back up plan and now, for the first time, Oscar was listening to his daughter explain to him how it wasn't safe for her and Katie to remain in her home city. Washington D.C. had been her home ever since he brought her home to be his daughter. Yet, he was impressed over the strength she displayed when she spoke with him and his wife of forty-two years. She was in control. And everything she had told them over the past eight years since she had returned to work after having Katie, made him doubt every word. This was the control of a woman with leadership behind her. Not something recently earned. But something she had for a real long time. He was well aware of her time as a field agent stationed at the Navy Yard in the past, and he had been so proud of her. Although disappointed that she hadn't followed him into the Bureau, he was still proud of what she had achieved. Top of her class at FLETC and chose NCIS after her stints with each of the agencies, in her final year.

It was where she met G. Callen, her husband. He had admired her choice in a husband, although he and his wife were annoyed at first for them eloping in Paris. But they supported her just the same. They had done what they had set out to do. Love her and provide a loving family environment to grow up in and help shape her into the amazing woman that she'd become. A silent hero working for their government. Protecting others and seeking justice for those who couldn't be saved. They'd been there for her when Callen left D.C. for Los Angeles and when she told them that she was pregnant. They helped her raise Katie so she could return to work, when Katie was eighteen months old. When she was four, they helped her with Katie, so she could fly to Los Angeles to sit at her husband's bedside after he had been shot five times. And now, five years on from that moment, he was back in their lives and regretful of abandoning Alex and the child he never knew. He heard the regret in his voice. The acceptance of his actions and the consequences of them. The determination was written on his face to make up for his biggest mistake of his life, to walk away.

Director Vance had given them a second chance. A new life as a family, in a new city, with new names and past, without them. Alex's words rung through his ears as fog settled in his brain at the news.

"Dad?"

Tears poured down Christine's face as she held onto Alexandra's hand.

Oscar looked to his wife and then to his daughter. He furrowed his brow for a moment, as he took the time for the news to sink in. "No. We're coming with you."

"You can't. It'll be just the three of us. No one can know who we are or where we're from. You have to stay here for Oliver and Samantha. They need you to be in their lives still. To be there for their children." It hurt her to tell them. She knew she was going to miss them terribly, and her brother and sister. Oliver and Samantha were twins, three years younger than her, but the three of them had always been close. They were a close family and did everything together.

"Whose going to keep an eye out for you?" Oscar was well attuned to the life of those who went into the witness protection program.

"It will be kept in house in NCIS. Owen Granger will be our point of contact. He'll come to visit us regularly as Callen's father. He'll be able to get to us easily enough and he'll have a team ready to come to our aide if we get into trouble." She kept from him the part about her own team being around. They didn't exist, she couldn't reveal their part in this. Or the operation that Callen would be involved in, although it will be for intel only on Callen's part. Hers would be a little more involved. Not that Callen had been read in on that part of the operation. Because one day, his team could be called to their aide, if her own team weren't available. The plan was set in place. Just in case. But with Green burning her in the Ukraine, it brought a whole other set of complications with it. They had a plan within a plan, to arrest these low lying terrorists, take them down one by one and then draw in the agency's mole. She was certain it was Green. If Green hasn't been arrested by then from the proof Nell or Hetty had found, she needed to be prepared to face her demon head on and end him. At the risk that Callen's team might shoot her to protect him, unaware who she is and why she would attack Green. That's why Callen was needed. To have her back. To protect her and to be her husband again. She'd gone over the plan in her head numerous times over the past six months. More so, more recently, now that her life was in danger as herself from Green. Her time in the Ukraine complicated the operation and the risk of Green meeting her in Santa Barbara was high. She had to put her trust in those around her to ensure she and her daughter were safe. Callen would do what it took to protect them, that much she knew. Granger too, now she knew that he was family.

"You're not going into the FBI's witness program?" Oscar shook his head. "No, Alexandra. You know the drill. The Bureau is the agency who deals with situations like this. I can call a friend and set it up immediately. You'll be safer this way." Fear flashed in his eyes for his girl.

"Dad. It's okay. Director Vance has the best people working on this. The fewer the better. The FBI's witness protection program would be the first place they will look to find us. There's a mole within NCIS who burned me. Someone I knew from years ago told the rebels in Donetsk that I worked for NCIS. I was there to support Daniel's mom in a hostile part of the world. We should have come home after our two weeks planned trip. If word gets out about Katie and I going into the witness protection program, I'll be in more danger than if I stayed at home. No. I will have people around me I know and trust. G will protect us. And you did an amazing job training me, Dad. Please, you've got to let us go." It was her plan and she needed her dad to accept it.

"We're going to miss you, Ally. You and Katie. Please send word to us now and then how you're going." He wrapped his arms gently around his daughter. It pained him to see her so fragile, although she tried hard to hide it from him.

"We're going to miss you all too." Tears fell down her face as she held onto her parents.

Their departure was a difficult one for all of them. There were tears pouring down Alex and Katie's faces as they said their goodbyes to her parents and Gibbs. Callen found it difficult to say goodbye to his father after such a short time with him. They'd had an hour to talk before they had to leave and it wasn't anywhere long enough for either of them. Thirty-nine years apart and all they got was an hour together. Thankfully, Owen stepped in and told them that he would be happy to pass messages on between them. He'd lost his chance in flying to Canada to see his sister and spend time with them. But he had to step up and be there for Alex and Katie. Responsibilities he'd walked out on ten years earlier and he needed to prove to Alex and Katie that he was here for them now.


	8. Chapter 8

**Till Death Do Us Part**

_Disclaimer: NCISLA characters belong to Shane Brennan. All original characters and this story are mine._

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**Chapter 8**

**Office of Special Projects, Los Angeles**

Green surprised Sam in more ways than one. The guy was keen to work with him in the gym rather than settle into his one bedroom apartment. They'd dropped his large bag off and collected his keys from the manager and continued on to the mission. He was impressed by their secret location. He scanned around the outside before following Sam in through the carved wooden doors. Spanish influence was strong in California and he should have known it would be like this. Not some stuffy building like they had on the east coast, but airy with style. He'd heard rumours about this unit and he knew they were led by the infamous Henrietta Lange. He also knew it was time to rein in his adventurous side while he was there and behave. He had more work he needed to complete. His sudden transfer gave him the ability to vanish for a while and dig deeper within a much tougher unit within the agency. If he could work this right, he'd be up for promotion and earn those millions promised to him.

The building appeared vacant when they entered and he was shown to his temporary desk. The word temporary was emphasised from his new and temporary partner, who was much of a mystery as the man he was filling in for. Sam never mentioned his partner's name even when he asked him. It was as if the man never existed. Perhaps that was why this unit kept it's mystery. They were tight lipped about anything and everything. He'd have to be clever and keep his cards close to his chest. Parker, his boss, had said very little on the detail about his new position, but he was pleased to have the chance to head west. He needed the break from his usual dealings, especially after the recent events. He still hadn't heard through the usual channels with regards to one fellow agent, Alexandra Holden. It was a shame he had to burn her like he had in Donetsk. She was a beauty, but his own life was at risk. Green stood on the mat and faced his rather large opponent.

Sam was ready to wrestle. The tension from his anger over his absent partner was knotted tight in his shoulders. He needed the release. Green stepped forward for attack. Sam was pleased with his move and defended himself well. He knew all of his old partner's tactics before he even made them. He could read Callen's mind, watch his eyes and knew what move he would make next. It was what made them so good as partners out in the field. They could read each other's intent. They had tried to get this important detail out to Deeks recently. "You need to know our intent," Callen had told him. Deeks stood mouth wide open in shock. He was well aware of the ability the senior members of the team had to read each other's mind, but when the plan changes, he likes to be told, not expected to read their intent. But now, Sam had to learn again. Train again. Green and him to be able to read each other and convince the other, that they could be trusted to have their back.

They worked for an hour. Sweat beading down their temples and backs. There'd been some moments when Sam outsmarted Green, but Green was a quick learner and he never made the same mistake twice. By the time Henrietta Lange entered the gym, they were partners. Two strangers who had learned their partner's dance in battle. She stood there with her hands folded out front as she studied them. She was impressed to see them work it out so quickly. Nell had forwarded Green's file onto her and she was impressed with his history. Although there were some sketchy details that had been redacted and she wished she could find out more about the man. Leon Vance had remained tight lip on why he chose Green to replace her team leader and how long Callen would be gone for. She hated being left in the dark when it concerned her agents.

But she had so much already causing a headache. The White Ghost debacle refused to go away and Owen had warned her that there would be consequences for sending Kensi to Afghanistan and not anyone else. She had her reasons, she had to keep Jack Simon safe. She knew the politics inside the CIA and knew that there was no such thing as the White Ghost. It was created to give Langley the right to have Jack terminated, just because he knew too many of their targets and remained living in the middle eastern country. He had become a risk, when they should have trusted him that he would never betray his country. Jack had finally found peace from the PTSD that he suffered after fighting for his country in the middle east.

"I see that the two of you haven't wasted a moment." Sam and Green stopped and looked over at the petite woman. "Welcome to the Office of Special Projects, Mr Green. My name is Henrietta Lange, but everyone calls me Hetty. I'm the Operations Manager here and I give the orders."

"Thank you, Hetty." He gave her a warm smile and nodded over to her. But the warm smile didn't reach his eyes and Hetty being Hetty, took note of that fact. She needed information on this new member of her team. Leon taking away the control of her having a say in Green being here had her on edge. She would question Owen once he returned from wherever he'd vanished to. She'd tried to trace him, but he'd gone dark. The man was as good as her team leader at becoming a ghost. But she was prepared for the unexpected, she would be ready for whatever came her way.

"When you're finished, I have some paperwork I need for you to fill in. Mr Hanna will direct you to my office." She left them be, Sam remained quiet and she knew it was his way to hold in his own frustration over the matter. She had the matter of trying to find her boy, who, for five and a half weeks had vanished from the face of the earth. She knew he was safe for now because Leon had assured her of that fact. But what he needed her boy for and why it had been kept from her, still very much remained a mystery. She would have to get her Technical Operator and Intelligence Analyst onto delving into the matter once they returned to the office on the following day.

She sat with a fresh pot of Oolong tea and opened up her red laptop. She looked over the security footage of Callen's house which remained vacant. He'd not returned home since he'd left for Washington, and the fact was she missed him. Missed his cheekiness and that caring side of him when he worried about her. She sighed and let out a long breath. "Where are you, Mr Callen? What are you doing?"

**The Following Day**

Deeks rolled his r's as he emphasised his point to his partner, as he strolled into the mission. "Rrrreally, Kensilina." He was retelling her a funny thing he'd seen at the beach early that morning, on his habitual surfing venture. He and Eric would meet up regularly at odd spots along the coast just so no one could predict their movements. Ever since he'd been shot at a convenience store after a run, he'd become smart in ensuring that no one could use him as a weak link to get to the team again. Or to him. "You can ask Eric. He was there."

"Ask me what?" Eric whizzed in through the door rushing to get into Ops before Nell. The waves had been perfect for surfing that morning and he was behind his usual arrival time.

"About the guy with his dog doing tricks on his board," Deeks explained.

"Oh yeah. That was totally cool. But I think his board was a stand up paddle board, he could do far more than the rest of us with our surf boards," Eric added.

"We should try SUPing sometime. Take the girls out," Deeks told his surfing partner. "You interested, Kens?"

"Yeah sure. Sounds great. As long as it's on flat water. Not sure how us girls will go SUPing on waves." She'd tried surfing a few times with Deeks, but she was still only a beginner compared to Deeks and Eric. But SUPing sounded fun. "I'm sure Nell would love to come too." She could imagine the four of them going out on SUPs and enjoying a day off.

The three of them halted in their steps as they spotted a stranger sitting at Callen's desk, his head in a laptop. They shared glances and their eyes widened at the intruder. Warning bells rang through Kensi's mind back to when Dom had gone missing and Deeks came to fill in for a bit. Sam didn't take it well to him sitting at Dom's desk and she worried how their friend and colleague would deal with someone else sitting in Callen's seat. It had been vacated for five and a half weeks. It brought back memories to when Callen was recovering for two months after being shot. But it was different back then. They knew where he was and why he wasn't with them. They had moved buildings just in case Callen's shooting meant that the office had been compromised. Macey had been transferred and Hetty came into being the Operations Manager. Change. Everything changed, when Callen got shot. A shiver ran down Kensi's spine with worry.

Sam walked passed them and dropped his bag down by his desk. "Morning." He opened his laptop up and sat in his chair. Marty Deeks went to say something, but Kensi gripped his arm with her hand to stop him. Eric took the opportunity and bolted upstairs. "Something wrong?" Sam looked up at them with a raised brow.

"I….um…" Deeks struggled to answer him.

"Morning, Sam." Adam Green lifted his head and realised that he had company.

"Morning. Sleep well?" Sam relaxed back in his chair, knowing exactly what had the junior members of the team stuck at the entry to the bull pen.

"Yeah, not bad. Woke up east coast time, but." He looked over at the couple standing by Sam's desk. He rose from the chair and held out his hand. "Hi. I'm Adam Green. Sam's temporary partner, until his usual partner returns."

Kensi elbowed Deeks who held his hand out to shake it. Kensi held back, unsure of this "temp". She remembered Sam calling Deeks their temp and look how long he stayed. He never left. She couldn't contemplate the mission permanently without Callen. She moved to her desk and sat down, keeping her distance from Green. Eric whistled from the top of the stairs and they all headed for Ops.

"You coming, Green?" Sam stood at the bottom of the stairs looking back to their temp. He had a bemused look on his face from their response to Eric's whistling. He followed Sam up the stairs and his eyes widened at the tech filled room.

"Now you're all here, I like to introduce you to Mr Green. He's filling in as Sam's partner for a while." Green noticed that no one mentioned the name of the agent he was filling in for, once again. Curiosity grew within him over who exactly he was replacing. "Mr Beale?"

The be-speckled geek, as Green nicknamed him, wore shorts and a Hawaiian shirt. He began with the team brief and before long, Green was focused like the other agents on their new case. Nothing big like he was expecting, seeing how secret this unit was within NCIS. It had a reputation among other agencies of not to be reckoned with. The case involved a trip south to Pendleton with Sam, while Hansel and Gretel went to visit with a relative of the dead marine. A simple case, open and shut.

Boy was he wrong. Adam Green had been working for NCIS since he left FLETC and had moved around from various offices around the country. He'd worked on overseas operations and had made contacts with terrorists and mafia from around eastern Europe. But he was not prepared for the Mexican Drug Cartels. He realised the importance of such a highly classified and trained unit on the West Coast. They infiltrated the marines, bringing in high amounts of drugs into the country. They were sent there to protect their borders, not to help the cartels shift their drugs into the country. After days of lying in the red dirt outside the Rios Cartel's compound, they'd gone in as a black op and managed to destroy their drugs and kill a few loyal men along the way. Then they went off after the dirty marines whom they followed back into the U.S. They were as crooked as he was, he realised, and another venture crossed his mind. But he halted that thought when he walked into the mission alongside a battered and bruised Sam Hanna.

Sam had gone in as a marine and found the men who had betrayed their country. He'd gotten into a fight and was relieved when Green showed up for backup, but only a moment sooner than Kensi and Deeks. Callen would have come in much earlier and fought along side him. But not Green. He waited until after Sam had fought his way out of being surrounded by five marines who'd gone rotten like a bad apple. He'd suffered bruises on his arms, chest, back and legs, his lip was swollen and he held a bag of frozen peas to it. He wasn't happy one bit. Green had failed him. If he wasn't tough and big built like he was, he'd be in emergency down in San Diego, being patched up and unavailable for work for the rest of the week.

But Green had problems of his own. He had to take down three guys who were much larger than himself, before he could enter to provide back up. But that didn't appear to be good enough for Sam. He'd brooded the whole journey back to Los Angeles, wishing for his old partner back. He'd explained the situation to Sam in hope he'd accept his reason for not getting to him earlier.

Sam stopped in the hallway and turned to face him. "I need to know you'll be there for me, when I need you, Green. To know my intent and go with any changes as I see fit." He huffed and cringed as he slowly slipped into his chair.

Hetty looked over with concern at Sam's appearance. They'd watched it all unfold on the large screen and knew that Green had failed Sam. He was used to a partner who worked seamlessly beside him. Sam would have to make adjustments to the way he worked, now that he had a new partner. No matter how temporary he was. Both agents had to make adjustments for their partnership to work.


	9. Chapter 9

**Till Death Do Us Part**

_Disclaimer: NCISLA characters belong to Shane Brennan. All original characters and this story are mine._

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**Chapter 9**

**Office of Special Projects — the following week**

Owen Granger entered the Spanish style mission in his usual gruff mood. He used it to hide his true feelings and for the past thirty-nine years since he'd lost his cousin, Clara, it had worked. Usually it was to hide his grief for Clara and the pain over the result her death had on her children. Thankfully, he'd managed to fake Amy's death and hid her far from the CIA and Henrietta Lange's grasps. But he was still peeved over the injustice of Clara's son, Gavrill. He had no opportunity to tell him the truth until a week ago.

Last Monday had been a huge day for all of them. The day of secrets being revealed and of family reunions. Although only brief for Nikita to be with his son, at least they'd had that hour together. He would continue to pass information on to Nikita about him and now he could pass messages between father and son. Today, his gruff mood hid his happiness. That Gavrill knew who he was and that he had been given a second chance with his wife and the time to get to know his daughter. Katie was so much like Amy at that age and it softened him towards the senior agent. He was after all family.

"Where on God's green earth have you been, Owen?" Henrietta Lange looked up from the file on her desk. She'd been reading more information that Eric had been able to find for her on Adam Green. So far the information was sporadic and she felt that there was a great deal more about her new agent that was being kept from her. She'd tried to pull out the information from Vance, but he'd been tight lip about Green as well. She could smell a rotten fish a mile away and Green was obviously rotten. She pursed her lips as she pondered over why Leon had sent this particular agent her way.

"You missed me?" He shoved his hands into his pockets and remained standing across from her.

Hetty narrowed her eyes and studied the man before her. He was a closed book and it annoyed her that she couldn't read him. "You have no idea." She sat back in her chair. "Or do you?" She watched Owen sit down, but he didn't reveal a thing.

"About what?" He sat nonchalantly as if life at OSP was going on at it's usual pace.

Hetty raised her brows. "Where shall I start? You've been away for a week, Owen. And for someone who likes to keep a close watch over us here at OSP, you've been away a great deal of late."

"Your team is not the only group of agents I need to deal with, Henrietta. You know I have a lot on my plate. What have I missed?"

She took in a deep breath and steadied her annoyance. "Are you aware that Leon has sent in a replacement for Mr Callen?"

"I am." He kept his answer short.

"And this doesn't bother you?"

"No. Should it? This happens all the time. Why would this be any different?" He knew exactly what the problem was considering the details he'd been given on Green. But that didn't mean he was about to spill all to the Operations Manager.

She huffed. "Firstly, his heart isn't in the job. He comes up with a sloppy performance out in the field which almost cost Mr Hanna severe injuries, if he wasn't capable of defending himself so well."

Owen furrowed his brow. "What happened to Sam?" His concern for Callen's partner slipped out. The family owed him so much for keeping his partner safe. Callen was alive today thanks to the former Navy SEAL. He owed it to Sam and to Callen, to ensure that Green being there didn't cause injury or death to him.

"Oh, so we matter to you now, Owen." Hetty replied, sarcastically.

"Of course you all matter. You're not the only one who takes those under their care, seriously and personally." He sat back and reined in his emotions. He needed to keep his feelings close to his chest. He'd come too far now to let it slip.

"Green was late to the party. Sam had to fight off five rotten marines, who'd been caught dealing with the Rios Cartel. He failed in ensuring that he had his partner's back. It's a good thing that Sam is a well built and well trained Navy SEAL and agent." Hetty leaned over her desk and lowered her voice. "Why is Green here, Owen?"

Owen sighed. He knew it wouldn't take the woman long to work out that there was a valid reason for Green being there. "You are well known amongst the agencies to be feared. And that you run a extremely tight ship and keep a careful watch over your people, on and off the clock. Why do you think Green is here?"

"So you need me to keep a close eye on him, is that it?" Hetty's eyes widened as her mind ticked over.

"Not me, Henrietta. Leon." He shrugged. "No idea what's the story there, I found out myself last week when I was requested in D.C. by our Director." It was part truth, seeing up until he arrived in the nation's capitol, he was clueless. He only left out the details that he'd been filled in by Leon Vance and Leroy Jethro Gibbs, exactly what Green had done to Alex and why he was in OSP.

"Do you know why Vance requires our Mr Callen for so long? And how long exactly are we to survive without our team leader?" She wanted desperately to say, her boy. But he was very much a man now and she really had no right to him. Yet she found herself struggling to cut her ties with the boy she'd tried hard to keep safe all of those years ago. He'd worked himself inside her heart and she loved him like a son.

"From what I gather," he chose his words carefully, "is that Leon needed him for a secret mission. No one outside the mission and Leon, know anything about it." He kept her gaze, not wavering once and he was pleased inwardly on his achievement. What he told her was the absolute truth. What he kept from her, was that he was in that mission, as Tom Sheer's father. He'd agreed to help out for this operation for Clara, giving Callen a chance at a normal life, the most he'd have as an agent. Time to get close to his wife again and be the father he should have been to Katie, ten years ago. From what he'd witnessed over the past week, Katie and Callen were doing fine. It was Alex with whom he was worried about. She'd put on a strong front, but she was struggling. Restless in her sleep and still very much weakened from her injuries. Her injureis would soon heal. It was the nightmares and the emotional toll of her trauma that would be the hardest for her to endure. Even for the toughest of agents, what she'd been through was inhumane. Callen still struggled to talk about the state he and Gibbs had found her in. It was necessary for all three of them to go through counselling and Nate had been called in to help them. But so far, none of them were talking, which Nate wasn't surprised about. Gibbs and Callen were well known for avoiding what affected them the most. But Vance insisted and Owen knew that Gibbs and Callen were protecting Alex by keeping quiet. Until Alex was ready to face her trauma head on and talk about it, there would be no way that either man would talk.

"Humph! You know I don't like being kept in the dark, Owen. And Vance is avoiding most of my calls. But I will keep a close eye on Green and keep you in the loop, although I feel like I've been kept out of the loop with regards to Green and Mr Callen.

He didn't miss the fact that Hetty refused to call Adam Green, Mr Green, like she did with her agents. It showed him just how much she disliked the new agent under her care. "So what are you going to do with Green, seeing he's obviously not up to OSP standards?"

A wicked smile graced her lips. "Now you're talking, Owen. I've devised a plan of action to bring Green up to OSP standards. He's currently at the gun range with Miss Blye, improving on his shooting skills. All non-urgent cases have been passed onto other teams, while this team train Green ready for their next big case. Sam needs to know that he can depend on Green to have his back. Then he'll work one on one with Mr Deeks at wrestling and boxing, then back to Mr Hanna for one on one combat fighting. Then, he'll face myself, in fencing and ancient martial arts. Green won't know what's hit him."

Owen smiled, pleased to hear of Hetty's plan. "Add me into the program. I would like to test him out for myself. See exactly how he's managed to get this far in NCIS."

"Exactly in what purpose shall I put you down for, Owen?" She sat with her hands held in a prayer position and one brow slightly raised. He saw the hint of amusement in her eyes.

"Interrogation. I'd like to see how he holds up if he gets caught by an enemy. We've got OSP and our people to protect after all." A smirk graced his lips and for a moment, Hetty narrowed her eyes. The smirk looked familiar, but she couldn't place why.

"Perfect. I'll put you down for this afternoon, after he's worn out from his combat fighting with Sam. Sam's using those Zap knives. I'll be watching from my office." Her grin broadened across her face.

Granger stood and nodded to the woman whom he'd known for most of the time he'd been an agent. They'd worked many cases together in the CIA, and not once had she made him concerned for his own safety, except for the time she tried to poison him. Hmm! The woman was definitely a riddle. "Henrietta." He wandered off and found Sam up on the landing, exerting all of his frustrations on the sand bag. He preferred to be away from Green for a long as possible. He sat on the bench seat and watched Sam's rhythm. The man had a good rhythm and put all his weight behind all of his punches. "Hetty'll need to buy a new sandbag at this rate, Sam."

Sam stopped at the sound of their Assistant Director and glared brown eyes into brown. "Where's my partner?" He knew that if anyone knew, Granger would.

"He's safe. Misses you." Owen uncrossed his arms and stretched them out onto his knees. "He wanted me to tell you that. Doesn't want you worrying about him. He's worrying enough for both of you, about you."

Sam sat on the opposite end of the bench seat and unstrapped his gloves. He wiped the sweat that beaded on his forehead with a small towel. "You've seen him?"

"I have. But that is only for you to know, Sam." He lowered his voice, he knew Hetty had the place bugged, but with Callen away, he wasn't around to locate and disarm them. Granger was paranoid as it was.

Sam thought over Granger's words. "He's safe?"

"Yes he is." Sam nodded.

"Thanks. I appreciate it." He was silent for a moment as he thought. "Do you know how long he'll be gone?"

"No." Sam could see it in Owen's eyes that he didn't, but he also saw that whatever it was that had his partner taken away, it wouldn't be for a quick operation.

He sighed and pulled the last glove from off his hand. "His replacement is driving me crazy."

"Hetty updated me. She said you were injured last week. How bad?" Owen fisted his hands on his knees, as anger over Green not being there for Sam surged through him.

"Bad enough. But don't tell G. He'll only worry more." Sam sighed. "Let's just say, I need my partner back sooner rather than later."

"I wish I could do that for you, but I can't. This one's above my pay grade."

"That secret, huh?"

"Yes." Owen wished he could have told him more, but it wasn't safe to say anything more than he had, with Hetty's eyes and ears in that place, it was too much of a risk.


	10. Chapter 10

**Till Death Do Us Part**

_Disclaimer: NCISLA characters belong to Shane Brennan. All original characters and this story are mine._

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**Chapter 10**

**Boat Shed — five hours later**

Adam Green sat opposite NCIS Assistant Director Owen Granger in one of the interrogation rooms. Although this was only the second time Green had visited the boat shed since joining the team, he was well aware what this location was used for: interrogating witnesses and suspects. Every muscle in his body was screaming after his combat fighting with Sam, those Zap knives hurt, it felt like he was being electrocuted. He thought his wrestling and boxing with Deeks was hard, but he should have known that his previous sparring with his new partner, had Sam being easy on him. He'd let Sam down out in the field and now he was paying the consequence for his failure.

Green studied the older man whose hairline had receded back quite considerably and his face was weathered from many operations in harsh winters and burning deserts. He appeared lean, less bulky than Deeks and especially less than Sam, who was built like a fortress. He'd only just finished his session experiencing first hand his ability from those well built arms and legs of his. He knew who Granger was, Owen had visited the Boston office over the years since moving to NCIS. But before now, he hadn't had such close contact with him.

"What is your name?" Owen sat nonchalantly across the table from Green, his brown eyes caught Green's green eyes.

"Adam Green." Green had no idea what was going on so he was honest in his answers.

"Fail." Owen stood up and leaned over the table. "If you get caught by an enemy, Green, you better improve on your agent skills. It's not just your life that hangs in the balance here, but that of your team and other agents out in the field." Owen sat back down in the chair. "Let's start again."

"What is your name?"

"Stuart Bromich."

"Make me believe you when you lie, Green. I don't believe you. Who are you?"

"I'm Mick, a cafe owner in Venice."

"Mick who?"

"Brown. Mick Brown."

"What's the name of the cafe?"

"Mick's." Green's lips curled slightly up to the sides from humour.

"Wrong." Owen stood up, annoyed. This guy was a smart aleck and he would play around with him, not understanding the seriousness of it. "Let's start again."

He continued another round with Green, but his frustrations with the man only tripled. "We'll commune again, this time tomorrow. You better prepare for next time. You've not only got yourself killed, but your family and your team." Owen gave up after an hour. Green was failing miserably. But Granger had expected him to fail. He could see the training was taking a toll on the younger man and on the inside, Owen Granger was smiling broadly. But on the outside, Granger appeared his usual gruff self.

Much of the rest of the week went along the same way as Monday had. Green became worse in his shooting, wrestling, boxing, combat fighting, fencing and marital arts against Hetty. As Green stood opposite the petite Operations Manager he felt like a small boy, being reprimanded for doing the wrong thing in school. Hetty on the other hand stood stoic opposite the newest member of the team and felt like Yoda, training young Anakin Skywalker, knowing he'd turn bad in the end. But in this case, as Hetty suspected, he'd already gone bad. Yet she wasn't afraid of Green. He appeared to be no threat to her team, who'd proven to be far superior in their skills against Green, and inwardly she smiled. Proud of her people, her family.

She met him in the middle of the mat, Green appeared not to be bothered about Hetty's ability, until she threw him onto the mat and pinned him down till after the countdown. No matter what he tried, Hetty swiftly moved him onto the floor into the most awkward and painful position each time. Muscles he never knew he had screamed out to him in pain. He wanted to go home. This was the worst week in his career that he could think of. How was he going to continue working there, if this is how they treated him? He was relieved when Friday came and went and the weekend arrived.

He took the time to relax. He went out clubbing that night and drunk his sorrows in beer and hard liquor. He picked up a brunette and went with her to her home. He didn't realise just how much aggression had boiled up inside of him, until he found himself with someone weaker than him. Sandy laid on the mattress underneath him with fear in her eyes when he held her throat too tight. Images of the beatings he'd endured from training that week flashed before his eyes. I'll prove to them I'm no weakling. But before he could stop himself, Sandy lay lifeless underneath him. He lay beside her in his drunken state and fell asleep.

The sun peered through the open window and brought reality with it. The woman, Sandy, was dead and he had killed her. The lack of control he had with his anger over the years had finally caught up with him. He had a crime scene to clean up. He found disposable gloves in the cupboard under the kitchen sink and bleach in the bathroom. He gently placed Sandy's body into the bath and filled it up with water, destroying any evidence of him from her. He washed the bedding and removed all fingerprints that he might have left around the place, especially door handles and door frames. He was well attuned to crime scenes from the hundreds he'd worked as a Federal Agent. But this was not meant to have happened. Now he had two women's lives in his hands. Alexandra Holden and Sandy's. He was cracking up and he knew he needed to sort himself out. Satisfied that he had cleaned the crime scene up and mopped the floor and remade the bed as if no one hadn't slept in it the night before. He wasn't sure how long it would be before anyone would come looking for Sandy, he knew he needed to act fast and get out of there without anyone seeing him, or cameras picking up on him being anywhere near the place.

He'd found the best route out of there. He jumped a few fences before finding his car down the road from the club, where he'd left it the night before. He hopped in and drove it away. He needed a new car but with it being a work one, he needed to get into the mission and swap it. Car trouble. That's what he'd come up with as an excuse. He rang Nell.

"Hi, Nell. Sorry to bother you on the weekend. I'm having car trouble. Can I swap it for another? You can organise a pick up truck to collect the car and get me back to the mission? Thanks." He'd heard the wind in the background and supposed she was at the beach.

Nell hung up and furrowed her brow. She opened her tablet that she carried around with her and clocked into the computer system at Ops. She typed in a request for a pick up truck to collect Green and his vehicle in Culver City and for a new car to be issued to him until this vehicle was back in working order.

"What's up, Nell?" Deeks noticed that something was bothering her.

"Um, nothing. Not sure, actually. Just got to arrange for a new vehicle for Green. He says he's broken down."

Deeks nodded. "He rang you on the weekend? He needs to get a life and a new job." Deeks shook his head, thinking at how someone like Green could be called a Federal Agent, when he was terrible at the job. Deeks on the other hand was a detective and a good one at that. He'd had a few teething issues, but nothing like Green. Deeks was more seasoned than Green and they must be around the same age, he supposed.

Nell typed in the vehicle particulars and found Green's movements from the evening before. The camera feeds that she found had her eyes wide opened. What are you up to, Green? She saved the images from the video feeds and emailed them onto Granger, knowing that he would want to see what she had found. Her brow quirked up into an arch as she watched Green walk back to his vehicle suspiciously. Where did you go with the brunette? She typed in the particulars of the woman's vehicle and her drivers licence came up on the screen. She typed in the address and found cameras in the vicinity. She searched for the early hours and noticed Green went into the woman's house with the brunette, but only Green exited out the back door. Why are you going that way? Her gut clenched tight and she made a phone call.

"Assistant Director. I think we have a problem."

"Miss Jones, what is it?" Owen sat on the balcony of his home with his wife, Melinda, sipping ice tea. Spring had come in summer bursts, which wasn't unusual for southern California. He stood up and walked into the house. Work wasn't for his wife to worry about.

"It's Green. He's asked for a different vehicle. Said he's had car trouble. I've issued for a pick up truck to pick him up in Culver City and to be taken to the mission to pick up his replacement vehicle. But I had a gut feeling. I went looking to see what he's been up to. I've found camera footage from last night of his movements. He went to a club, Maleficent, and he left with a brunette. A Sandra Duncan. I found her address and found Green enter her house with her in the early hours of this morning. He left about an hour ago, there's no sign of the woman. He's acting weird."

"In what way?" Owen Granger collected his car keys and knew it was going to be a long day.

"He left by the back door and jumped over fences. I've managed to break into neighbouring security cameras and caught him. He's acting too suspicious."

"Give me the address, Nell. I'll drive by and see if Miss Duncan is okay. You're right, he's acting very strange."

Owen Granger drove over to Gardena and found the address Nell had provided him with. He walked up the path and rang the door bell. After ten minutes of no one answering and checking the windows, he called Nell back.

"I can't see anyone here. Do you have a cell number for the woman?"

Nell quickly brought the details up on her screen. "Yes, I do." She passed on the number and left Granger to call the woman. She looked up and laughed, watching Kensi and Deeks paddle boarding on the same board with a paddle each. She was sure Deeks was determined to make Kensi fall off and get her very wet. Her sudden concern over Sandra Duncan left her as she watched Deeks succeed in his aim of doing just as she thought.

"Deeks. I swear, if you do that to me again, I'm going to feed you to the sharks."

Nell's cell rang and she sighed as she saw Granger's number. "You were right to be concerned. LAPD's arrived. We've entered the property after no answer on her cell. We found her body floating in the bath." Granger tensed the muscles in his arms. "From what you've found, we have proof that he killed her. But there's no proof at the crime scene. He's wiped the place clean. We need to tread very carefully, Nell. You obtained evidence by breaking into neighbouring security systems that we can't use in a court of law. We'll keep it quiet for now, but we'll get LAPD to release her suspicious death on Monday, as if he's in the clear. We can't be seen to be spying on him. The safety of the team is imperative. We still need to find out about his dealings with the European terrorists that Alex reported to Vance, when she saw him in Ukraine back in February." He heard laughter and the sound of the wind in the background. "Are you out, Nell?"

"Yes, I'm at the beach with Beale, Kensi and Deeks."

"Don't mention this to them and enjoy your time at the beach. But we need to get onto Green's connections fast before he kills again."

"Agreed, Sir." She disconnected the call, but felt sick in the stomach. Her gut instinct from her training served her well. "Trust your training." Callen's words rung in her head and she missed the team leader more than before. "We miss you, Callen. Please come home soon," she whispered to herself.


	11. Chapter 11

**Till Death Do Us Part**

_Disclaimer: NCISLA characters belong to Shane Brennan. All original characters and this story are mine._

* * *

**Chapter 11**

**OSP, Los Angeles — April 21, 2014**

The news of the dead woman found by LAPD blared over the car stereo on their way into work and it had Kensi tense over the situation. Reports that she had been seen clubbing at Maleficent on Friday night, had Kensi worrying about the times she'd been clubbing there alone and picked up a guy. A woman thinks she's safe if she goes to her place rather than the guy's. But not in this case. Deeks noticed the concern in her eyes as they entered the mission.

A shrill of a whistle caught their attention, not allowing them to settle in at their desks. Sam and Green followed them up the stairs, the latter pleased to be getting on with a case rather than his training. His body was still struggling to recover from the week before. He'd spent the remainder of the weekend at his apartment, hiding.

A bloodied body of a marine laid sprawled on the large screen in Ops, sending shivers down the agents' spines. No matter how many times they saw images of dead bodies, they never got numb to it. They only tried to block it out and deal with the case until after they'd found the guilty villain and brought justice for the victim.

Kensi wished as she listened to Eric and Nell deliver the details of the case to them, that they were working another case, although she knew that it was in LAPD's jurisdiction. Her name was Sandra Duncan and it was engraved on Kensi's brain. She'd seen a photo plastered on her television screen as she ate breakfast and suddenly lost her appetite. How much like her, she thought. It could have been me. Little did she know that her killer stood beside her in Ops, ready to work along side their team to solve the suspicious death of a marine.

This case started a chain reaction of serious cases that came their way. Weekends were cut short over the next couple of weeks and neither of them got much of a break, lowering the team's spirits. Sam became a closed book to Green and the rest of the team and he vanished each night as soon as he was free to go. Time with his family was precious to him and he'd refused to allow Green in to know about them. It was a good thing, Hetty mused, especially after the hint Owen had dropped her. She needed her team leader back and after requesting for his return numerous times from Vance, she found herself being called to D.C. to face a panel of congressional investigators to answer for the White Ghost debacle. This was not the time for her to leave her people, while she had Green to watch over carefully. Thankfully for her, Nell and Owen ensured her that they would take good care of the team and watch Green like a hawk.

**Santa Barbara — June 12th, 2014**

Callen laid awake on the sofa in the living room, thinking. It was now June and summer was upon them. He hadn't seen his partner or the rest of the team since he left them back in March. He'd settled into his new role as manager at the Santa Barbara Country Club, but he missed Sam. He was used to having Sam being near by and having his back, although he knew his current role was low risk. He had his sights on the low lying terrorists, some had already made their presence known at the Country Club. He'd captured their image on the button camera placed on his polo shirt, which was fed back to Alex. She gathered the information from the microphones Callen had planted in the area that these men preferred to meet in and passed the detail onto her team.

Alex. The love of his life, laid asleep upstairs in the master bedroom. Slowly she was healing and getting stronger every day. But he still worried about her. Images from the state he'd found her in flashed across his face, adding to his insomnia. Guilt grew within him on how he'd left D.C. without her. If only he had waited for her to come with him, then they could have confronted Hetty face on, then she would have had to accept them together. He rose from the sofa and looked out at the early morning light. The sun was hinting to peep over the mountains into another glorious day. Soon, Ally and Katie would be up and they would have breakfast together. It had become a family ritual and he loved it. They would walk to the beach and enjoy the early morning before he had to head off to work and Katie to school. Today was her last day until the last week of August and he looked forward to spending more time with her, without homework and school projects as a distraction. He had a great deal to be thankful for, although Ally still kept him at a distance. He wasn't surprised at that. He'd deserved it after walking out on her ten years earlier. He also knew it wasn't just that, but a consequence of what she'd suffered in Donetsk.

Give her time, he told himself. It had only been nine weeks for them living as a family and she still had another three months before she would know if she was medically cleared. And then there was the emotional healing. He knew that would take a long time. She had put up a strong front for her parents back in D.C. and for Katie, but he saw the shadows darken under her eyes. He heard her toss and turn and shout out in her sleep when he stood on the other side of the bedroom door listening. And he also heard her cry. It was her crying that got to him the most. He stood on the other side of the door contemplating whether to enter and console her, or to leave her alone. So far he'd taken the safe option and gave her the space, after all, she had asked him to. But he wasn't sure how much longer he could stand back and do nothing.

**Office of Special Projects, Los Angeles**

Adam Green had never worked so hard in all of his life. Working at OSP gave him no time to come up with plans to make money, like he had with his European contacts. But at least he'd not been caught for Sandy's death. It had been an accident, he was too drunk to realise what he had done to her until he was sober the next morning. He discovered just how hard the agents trained compared to what he had to do back east in Boston. Unless there was an urgent case, he was to spend his time training. Firing his weapon in the gun range, sparring with Sam, Kensi and Deeks, boxing on the machine and martial art training with Hetty. The woman was a mystery to him. He tried to read her, but she was good at hiding her thoughts from him. Her petite size and age had him thinking she would be an easy opponent. Until he faced her. No, he realised. She was the master. He felt like Daniel in Karate Kid and she was the marital arts master.

Owen Granger waltzed into the bull pen. "Green. Time for your interrogation." He stared at Green, who hesitated in his action to follow the Assistant Director. Once he was certain he would follow, he headed out of the mission for the boat shed.

Green entered the interrogation room prepared this time. He'd had a few months to create an alias that would have Granger eating out of his hands.

"Name." Owen sat back in the metal chair and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Paul Wallingford."

"Date of birth."

"January, 21st, 1978." So he was going to make himself a year older, Owen mused.

"Who do you work for?"

"A local gym. I'm a personal trainer."

Owen stared him down and saw the conviction in Green's eyes. He let him pass this time. He pulled out images of a woman and laid them down on the table. "Who is she?"

Green furrowed his brow. He knew the woman. He'd dated her for three years but she'd dumped him after he had cheated on her. "How did you get these photos?"

"Fail." Owen stood up. "When are you going to get the severity of this training into your thick skull, Green. Yeah, you've polished your identity, but you failed on her. You're not suppose to acknowledge that you recognise her."

"It was a shock. I had no idea that you would go through my personal history for this."

"This may be training to you, Green, but out there it's the real world."

"Let's try again." Green asked him. "Okay, I get where you're coming from. Let's do it again."

"Tomorrow. Work on it, Green. And I mean work on it." Owen stood up and left him alone in the boat shed to think hard.

**Boat Shed — June 13th, 2014**

Green was nervous as he entered the boat shed. Why did today of all days have to be Friday the 13th? He'd practised with images of people he knew. Colleagues, friends and family. He was ready, but still, he was superstitious.

Owen sat on the edge of the table and laid out photos. Owen made the first move in the game of chess, only Green had no idea about what game he was playing. Photos this time were of terrorists from Europe, research concluded that he had dealings with them over the years. He studied Green who appeared to hold in his breath and tried hard to steady his hands and feet, to prevent revealing anything. He controlled his breathing and met Owen's gaze.

"Who are these men?" Owen pointed to one in particular that caught Green's attention. It was a man named Roman Basara, a Ukrainian national, who was a matter of interest for the United States of America. The man, Green had burned Alex's identity to. He had a lot to answer for. He had yet to start on Alex and the Duncan woman. He'd get to them later. One piece at a time. Draw it out, make him stew. It was Owen's favourite form of torture.

"I have no idea. Never seen him before." Green looked worried that this man had been pointed to. The others he wasn't so worried about. But Roman Basara was the worst of the worst that he had ever dealt with in Europe.

Owen merely raised his brow and shrugged. "Okay. What about this one then?" This time he pointed to a Russian, a Slavik Holendar. A well known arms dealer who reports reveal that he's got his hands on U.S. weapons. A concern for the U.S. Government, and the CIA have people on the ground trying to find out how. Owen has his own theories and the man sitting before him had the answers.

Green shrugged his shoulders, but he slightly creased his forehead between his brows, indicating to Owen that he was lying. Another mystery solved, Owen mused. Then he brought out a photo of Sam. A flash of anger flared in Green's eyes that concerned Granger.

"Never seen him."

"Liar. You got angry when you saw his image. Why?"

Green wielded a story as to why he hated Sam, whose name he'd lied about and called him Ben Wyatt. A weight lifter who came into the gym each week with an attitude. Owen nodded and he was impressed at how quickly Green was able to turn it around to a believable story, credible with the alias he'd provided him with the day before."

"Getting better, Green. That's all for today." Owen watched Green leave and looked up at the screen. On the other end sat Nell, observing the habits of Green throughout the interrogation. Green may have improved on his lying, but his body language revealed a great deal more. They would give it a rest for now, wait until he was relaxed, thinking the interrogation sessions were over before he tried again.


	12. Chapter 12

**Till Death Do Us Part**

_Disclaimer: NCISLA characters belong to Shane Brennan. All original characters and this story are mine._

* * *

**Chapter 12**

**Office of Special Projects — September 2, 2014**

The past few months had been the most challenging for the old spy and suddenly she felt her age. So much had happened of late. From losing her team leader and being kept out of the loop on what was going on with regards to his whereabouts, and his replacement being rotten and causing friction amongst the team. Then she was dragged to D.C. to be questioned over the White Ghost debacle and having the DOJ invade her office was enough to cause concern. On top of that, armed men invaded one of her properties and she lost her long term friend, Duke. The news shook her to the core and fear for the rest of her team led her to leave D.C. as quickly as possible. Only to discover that Nell, her young and an untrained agent, went in undercover at Dovecoat as her and she'd killed her first person in defence. Hetty knew who it was that was after her. Someone she thought she would never see again, especially after the threat Callen and Sam had laid heavily onto him from his last visit. But he was back in Los Angeles, paid a great deal of money for the addresses of her properties and then he tried to kidnap her and take her to Russia. Anger surged through her over everything that had happened. How could this be happening? A mole. Vance told her she had a mole in her midst. Is this why her team leader was away working on something so secret that she was left out of the loop?

Matthias Draeger. He stood in her secret mission, wielding a gun in his hand, threatening her to come out and go peacefully with him to Russia. Huh! The man had balls. She'd give him credit for that. But he was a stupid man. Never smart enough to outwit her. The look on his face, when he found himself surrounded by her team of agents who had her back. Even without Mr Callen, she felt safe having her children around her. Except for Green that was, although Vance ensured her that he wasn't the mole. The mole had been in her midst for longer than when Green had been with them. Back in D.C., she wondered if there was anyone that she could still trust. She studied them all closely, but now they had come to her aide and she relaxed a little.

Life went back to normal for another few weeks before disaster struck again. Owen totalled his car and it was discovered that he had been poisoned. The paranoia returned for Hetty, causing her to shut down the mission, locking her people inside. The mole was hurting them again. A scream caught their attention and a woman's body laid on the floor of the fax room. Helen, their HR Manager. Suspicions ran high with those who had the ability, anyone suspicious were locked inside the armoury, while Kensi and Deeks tried to find which of them were the mole. But the mole came prepared. He held Eric Beale captive, the lad who couldn't hurt anyone except in a computer game. But he was bright and he worked well along side his partner, Nell, providing clues to their whereabouts in the old water treatment plant. Sam and Green came through the back, while Deeks and Kensi found a way out of the armoury and captured the mole. Carl, the new tech guy. He'd been with the team for six months, but he shut up tight and refused to speak. They still had no idea who was after them. But Hetty had her suspicions, especially after Matthias' visit.

Nell stepped up into her office and cleared her voice. "Is it okay for me to take off early for the weekend, Hetty? I've got plans to visit my brother up north."

Hetty smiled at the younger woman. "Of course, Nell. Enjoy your time."

"Thanks, Hetty. See you on Monday." She bounced her way out the doors to the car park. She spotted Sam climbing into his car and she knew that it was now or never. "Hey, Sam."

"Hey, Nell. What's up?" He looked over to the petite Intelligence Analyst with a smile.

"I need a favour, actually. I'm suppose to up the coast to visit my brother, but my car is in at the mechanics for repairs. Could you give me a lift, please?" She smiled sweetly over to him, hoping he'll accept her request.

"Yeah, sure, Nell."

She ran around the car and jumped in. "Thanks, Sam. I really appreciate it."

"I had no idea you had a brother and that he lived so close. What's the address, I'll enter it into the GPS?"

Nell shook her head. "No GPS. In fact I need you to drive around the corner and pull over. We need to switch off our cells and the GPS in your car."

Sam narrowed his eyes suspiciously, but did as she requested. "Are you going to tell me what's going on, Nell?"

Nell pulled out a bug locator from her large tote bag and scanned the vehicle. Satisfied they were in the clear, she turned and faced him. "We need to drive the most round about way to Santa Barbara, no one can follows us."

"That's where your brother lives?" Sam was still confused over why Nell was being so mysterious.

"Not my brother, Sam. Yours." Sam's eyes widened and a broad smile graced his lips.

"G?"

"Tom. He misses you. Granger was supposed to visit this weekend, but with him being poisoned, I need to go. I thought I could bring you along for the ride."

"That's the name he's going by? Won't us turning up ruin his cover?"

Nell shook her head. "No. I'll go in as Julia Sheers. Tom's kid sister. You're my new man."

Sam raised his brows and chuckled. "You're good, Nell. Does Hetty know what you and Granger are up to?"

She shook her head. "She can't either."

"She misses G just as much as I do. You sure?"

"Very sure."

"Can you tell me anything about why he was called to D.C. so urgently six months ago?"

"He and Gibbs had to reactivate old aliases to rescue a fellow agent, whom they used to work with. She was burned in Donetsk by Green."

Sam screeched on his brakes and his eyes flared with anger. "Why is Green with us, Nell?"

"We need proof of his dealings with terrorists in Europe. We're getting somewhere. He thinks Granger's been training him with the interrogation, but they were recorded and I used heat sensor software for the interrogations. We know for certain that he knows the man who Callen and Gibbs had to trade useless microchips for the agent." Nell sighed and looked out the window. "Green is bad news, but we needed him under Hetty's thumb while we get the proof to arrest him. He also killed that woman a while back, the one who had been out at the club, Maleficent. But you can't tell Callen about it. He'll flip and come back to L.A. and kill him."

Anger rippled through Sam's body at the news. "Why hasn't Green been arrested? Why would G do that? Who is this agent that he had to rescue? Nell…"

"I can't tell you that, Sam. You have to trust me, okay? But with Green, the evidence we procured originally was illegal. I broke into neighbouring security cameras and caught Green leaving her place through the back. It was my gut instinct that suspected Green was up to something when he asked for a pick up truck and a new vehicle. He'd only been with us for two weeks and we knew that there was nothing wrong with his car. Granger went to the address I traced him to and after the woman didn't respond to calls to her cell or the doorbell, Granger called LAPD and they found her body. We've managed to get the evidence legally since, but LAPD have agreed to wait on it until we have all that we need with regards to his dealings in Europe. Especially for what he did to a fellow Federal Agent."

Sam nodded. "So why are you telling me these things?"

"Because of what happened to Granger, I need an ally."

"You trust Granger, but Hetty can't know? I don't understand?"

"Granger is family to Callen. Cousin to his mother. There's a great deal more going on that I can't say, but it's important that Hetty doesn't find out about where Callen is. We've worked too hard to keep this a secret from her."

Sam took in a deep breath and slowly released it. "Granger never told G, did he?"

She shook her head. "Not until after he returned from rescuing the agent. It's best if Callen tells you the rest."

Sam nodded and focused on driving to ensure they weren't followed. A thrumming of adrenaline flooded his system. He was going to see his partner again after six months and his mood improved, although there still was a lot of questions he needed answering. He would ask G and hopefully his partner and brother, as Nell referred to him as, wouldn't stonewall him this time.

**Santa Barbara**

Sam pulled up outside the address Nell gave him and he observed the tidy garden and lush lawn. The two storey wooden house was painted a sandy colour with white trimmings, much similar to his own back in Los Angeles. So this is where his partner was hiding out. But why?

He followed Nell up the garden path to the front door. Before Nell could even press on the buzzer, the door flung open and the man on the other side smiled broadly. "I wondered when my kid sister would come and visit us. Hi Julie. I see you brought your new man with you. Hi, I'm Tom. Welcome to our home."

Sam shook his hand, studying him. Obviously undercover, the dark blond hair had been darkened considerably and his vivid blue eyes were now brown. "Hey." He followed his partner inside and stopped in his tracks when he spotted a young girl a little older than his own daughter, Kamran.

Katie looked over to her father at their visitors. "Dad?"

Nell stood beside Sam, their eyes fixed on the girl. Her facial features were familiar to them both. Her usually fair hair had also been darkened, but her eyes were still the cerulean blue. She only wore the coloured contacts when she went out somewhere, but she gave her eyes a break and became Katie again when she was home.

"It's okay, sweetheart. These are some friends of mine." Callen looked back to his partner and Nell. "Sam, Nell. I'd like you to meet my daughter, Katie."

Sam's heart softened towards his partner. He was a dad just like him. He smiled over to the girl. "Hi, Katie. I'm Sam. I have a daughter too. Her name is Kamram. She'd love to meet you, some day."

"I know. Dad told me about her. We've bought her birthday present already so we could send it back with Grandpa." Her face furrowed for a moment. "Where is Grandpa?"

Callen looked over to Nell for an explanation. "Katie's right. Owen was supposed to come this weekend. Is everything okay?"

Nell shook her head. "No. He's in hospital. I knew he was supposed to come so I came instead and managed to get Sam to drive me."

"What happened?" He slightly tilted his head, his brow raised with concern.

"Is there somewhere where we can talk in private?" Sam asked him and he nodded, leading him into the study.

Nell sat down next to Katie. "So how are you liking your new school?"

"It's okay. I have a couple of new friends, but I mostly miss my old friends. I like having Dad living with us the best. And I'm still getting used to my new name, Phoebe. Mum and Dad still call me Katie at home, but when a friend comes over, I have to pretend to be Phoebe so I don't invite friends over much."

"You know, just because you have a new name it doesn't mean that you have to be any different from being Katie. What kind of things did you like doing back in D.C.?"

Katie relaxed and enjoyed talking to Nell about her old life. Being able to talk about it to her helped her relax and they ended up having a great time playing a game of UNO, while they were alone.


	13. Chapter 13

**Till Death Do Us Part**

_Disclaimer: NCISLA characters belong to Shane Brennan. All original characters and this story are mine._

* * *

**Chapter 13**

**Santa Barbara**

Callen rested himself slightly on the edge of the desk and looked over to his partner. "I've missed you, Sam. It's so good to see you. You look well."

"You have no idea how much I've missed you, G. Your replacement is doing all our heads in. Nell's just filled me in on why he's at OSP. How long are you going to be up here? The team miss you. Hetty misses you." He noticed Callen became tense at the mention of their Operations Manager. "Is there something I'm missing?"

"A great deal, Sam. What happened to Granger?"

"We had a mole in OSP, a new tech guy, he started just after you left. He poisoned Granger until he lost control of his car and was a little crazy in hospital. His blood works came back with the results of the poisoning. Some poisonous plant the tech guy grew in the garage at Helen's."

"The HR Manager?" Sam nodded. Callen noticed the sadness in Sam's eyes. "What is it, Sam?"

"He killed Helen. Then he took Beale hostage, but we managed to corner him, rescued Eric and arrested him. Something big is going on, G. Matthias returned and tried to kidnap Hetty to take her to Russia. Someone wants her. The old cold war has returned. Even Arkady is nervous."

Callen shook his head. He was worried about Sam and his team, but for a completely different reason. Never had he envisioned all of the things Sam was telling him. "I wish I could be there to help, but I can't."

"Why didn't you ever tell me you had a daughter?" Sam watched numerous emotions flash over Callen's face. It was unusual for him to witness this, Callen was usually a blank canvas hiding his emotions.

Callen looked over at him and met his gaze. "I never knew. I only found out earlier this year." Sadness entered his eyes. "I failed big time, Sam. I left Alex for L.A. I shouldn't have gone without her. She was supposed to follow me, but I had no idea that Hetty called her and told her not to come." Anger replaced the sadness, resulting in Sam to furrow his brow.

"Whose's Alex, G?"

"My wife. Real wife. We used to work together in D.C. with Gibbs and Kate. We became a family, all four of us. Alex and I, well you know how it goes, Sam. Get too close. We were on an operation in Paris and we decided to get married with our real names. We posted the marriage certificate and our real identities back to Gibbs for safe keeping until we returned. I had what I always wanted." He shook his head, annoyed with himself. "Then I threw it away. Hetty offered me a place in OSP with undercover work. Deep undercover. It was what I was born to do. So I accepted on the proviso that Alex came too. I flew out in time to work with you, and then Kensi and Renko joined the team. I asked Hetty about Alex, but she," he fisted his hands together, "deflected the conversation." He looked back up at Sam. "I thought Alex had abandoned me. Only to discover it was I who abandoned her. I had no idea she was pregnant with Katie." He sighed out heavily.

"Alex was the agent burned by Green, wasn't she?" Callen stood up and paced the room. "That's why Vance wanted you urgently in D.C. To rescue her. Nell told me. I'm sorry, G. I had no idea. But what I don't understand is why are you hiding up here under aliases?"

"Green can't know that it was Gibbs and I who rescued her and that she is still alive. Green thinks she's dead. It's best he thinks that. Her life will be in danger if Green knew. She's a witness to his dealings with Roman Basara, a Ukrainian. Weapon trading and not just with him. Green has been making a great deal of money on the side."

"He's a bastard, you know. He's not that good of an agent. Non of us can understand how he managed to become an agent. Hetty arranged a massive training for him and we've been putting him through his paces, but no one likes him." Sam caught Callen's arm and stopped his pacing. "Is that why you're here, taking care of Alex and Katie, hiding from Green?"

"Kind of. What happened to Alex in Donetsk…" Callen's body tensed and his eyes welled up. His voice was barely a whisper. "Roman starved her and r…she was barely alive when we got to her. It almost killed me to see her like that. It took three weeks for her to be well enough to fly back to D.C. It took her four months before she would even allow me to hold her. To comfort her. It was the hardest thing to do, stand there and watch the emotional toll deprive her of the happiness she deserves and not be able to do anything for her to make things better. The restless nights from her nightmares. Hell, even I have nightmares from it and I wasn't the victim. Nate's tried to get the three of us to talk about it, but Gibbs and I, we won't talk about it. Not until she's ready." His voice became louder as anger raged within him. "I wanted to kill Roman and Green, you know. With my bare hand. Torture them and kill them slowly for what they did to her."

"I'd want to do the same if it had happened to Michelle, G. I get it. I want to go back to L.A. and strangle the guy myself." Sam wrapped his arms around him and hugged him. "I'm here for you, G. For you and your family. Whatever you want me to do, I'll do it."

It was a moment of weakness for Callen, but he needed it. He broke in his partner's arms. He'd been strong for Alex for six months, but he needed someone to talk to. Sam arriving like he did, gave Callen the support he needed. He took in a ragged breath and pulled away from Sam. "Thanks, Sam."

"No worries, G. You were there for me when we had the Sidorov problem. That's what brothers do for each other." He held his shoulder with a firm grip.

"The plan is that we've gone into witness protection, but we're also undercover watching underlying terrorists who have been meeting at the Country Club up here. I gather the intel, but that's all. Another team come in and take them out, one by one. I can't tell you anymore than that, it's pretty low key, boring stuff. But Vance wanted to give us a second chance of being a family."

"Hetty doesn't like Alex?" Sam pondered over the conversation he'd been having with Callen.

"Alex has no idea why either. Hetty told her that she knew who she was and that she's no good for me. And that she would do everything in her power to keep us apart." Callen shook his head and gripped the lamp stand firmly in his hand. "She's the love of my life, Sam. She makes me a better person. She wanted me back. It was her backup plan when she went to Donetsk, for Gibbs and I to rescue her if her trip went south."

"What was she doing in Donetsk? It's been too risky to have any agents in there."

"A mom at school is from there. Her mother died, and happened to be telling Alex about her trip home. She asked Vance if she could go and check out what was really going on in there. He approved the plan. But she saw Green there. We met him years ago and never liked him. He tried to get onto our team, but Gibbs refused his request. He hired Kate instead. Green was dealing something with Roman Basara. And intel has revealed that he dealt with weapon trading and girls. We had to trade with some dodgy microchips that only worked until we initiated them to go corrupt. We made sure we had Alex safe with us, first." His emotions got the better of him and he had to take a break.

"I'm sorry, G. For Hetty ruining the best thing in your life and for what Green did to Alex." Callen nodded and sat down on the chair. He rubbed his hand through his hair that had grown longer since he'd left L.A. "Is Alex around?" Sam was eager to meet her.

"She's upstairs resting. She's still recovering from the ordeal. She's had a few busy days starting her new job as a History teacher at the local High School." A smile crept onto Callen's face. "She's always loved history. She's qualified too, you know, to teach the subject. All the way up to University level if she wanted to. She's highly regarded in her field. It's a great alias for her."

"But really she's an agent like us."

Callen looked up and shook his head. "No. Not quite. Even more secret than OSP. A team that doesn't exist, only Vance knows about them and she deals with him directly. They're the king of ghosts. This operation I'm working on, she needed me for it before the Donetsk situation. It only delayed it. It required a family to go undercover and she wanted me back. For herself and for Katie. She said it was time to fight for what was hers. But she doesn't want Hetty to know about it. And Vance agreed. Then Granger was asked to be our handler." Callen took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. He looked up at his partner and a smile appeared. "I met my father, Sam. Granger brought him to the Navy Yard. I know my name."

Sam's face brightened. "That's great, G. So tell me, what's Nikita like and what does the G stand for?"

Callen smirked. "An older version of me. Same blue eyes and shaped face." He wiped his face with his hand. "Any guesses?"

"No way. After all this time, you're having me guess? If it's Russian, I'll have no idea." Sam chuckled. "Gabrielle. Gunther. George, Gregori?"

"Gavrill." Callen's face reddened. It was still new to him.

"Gavrill?" Sam raised his brow and studied him. "Hmm! Yeah. I can see you as a Gav. You know that's what we'll have to call you. Leave off the Russian part. Help you fit in better."

Callen raised one brow. "Oh, is that so? Well I might just demand everyone to call me by Gavrill, you know. Seeing I've lost thirty-nine years of being Gavrill Reznikov."

"We could always call you Rill instead," Sam teased.

"And we could call you muel," Callen smirked. He had missed this banter between the two of them.

Sam chuckled. "Okay, G, you got me. Gav it is." He nodded. "I approve. I'm glad you found him, G."

"Me too. But I only had an hour with him. He's been living in Canada with Amy. Oh, yeah, she's alive too, much to Hetty's dismay I bet." His voice went bitter over the situation.

"What do you mean, G? Hetty would be thrilled that she's alive. This is great news." Sam looked over to him with confusion.

"Granger said that they had to fake her death to keep her hidden from the CIA and from Hetty. I have so many questions for her, Sam. Why she moved me around the foster system so much? Thirty-seven homes is too many for any foster kid."

"I agree with you, G. That is a lot of homes to be moved around, growing up. But didn't she tell you that it was to keep you safe from the Comescus? She did fly over to Prague to tell them that you were dead, to keep you safe. For your mom's sake. Isn't that what she told you?"

Callen thought about it for a moment. "I know, Sam. She's been the one constant in my life growing up. I thought she was the only one who cared about me. But the truth is, she kept me hidden from my family. They couldn't find me. I missed out on living my life with my family for all of those years. That's why Granger came across to NCIS. To keep a closer watch to make sure she didn't leave the reservation again and to make sure we didn't follow her again." He heaved out a sigh. "And she took me away from my wife and daughter. That is something I am struggling with the most, you know. I'd accepted my fate as a kid in the system. I survived. But I allowed her to ruin the happiness I had finally found with Alex. A family of my own. Vance is keeping me away from Hetty for now. They're doing their own investigation into who she really is. Henrietta Lange is not her real name, Sam. They need to know who she is and where her allegiance lies. You have to agree, she's got a bit of a history of taking kids and turning them into agents, who are loyal to only her. We handed our badges in for her, Sam. What were we thinking?"

"What any of us would do for the other, G. I'm sure Hetty's had a damn good reason for hiding you. I'm sure if you asked her, she'd give you the answers that you need."

"She's kept so much from me over the years, I don't know if I trust her." His admission hung in the air as they both became quiet.

"She is good at keeping things from us, I'll agree with you on that. But she loves you, G. Looks to you like a son. I'll see if I can do some digging for you." He looked at his watch. "I need to let Shell know I'll be late."

"Stay the night, Sam. Please." Sam nodded.

"Got a secure phone for me to call her?"

Callen handed him a satellite phone. "I sure do."


	14. Chapter 14

**Till Death Do Us Part**

_Disclaimer: NCISLA characters belong to Shane Brennan. All original characters and this story are mine._

* * *

**Chapter 14**

**Santa Barbara**

Alex awoke from her sleep —- she could hear talking downstairs and concluded they had visitors. Curiosity got the better of her and she quietly moved down the stairs to find out who they were. She peeked around the corner and found her daughter talking to a woman. She was petite and much younger than herself. She smiled as she listened to the conversation she had with Katie. Nell, she concluded. The Intelligence Analyst whom Owen had placed inside OSP to watch over Callen and spy on Hetty. Pleased with the progress Nell made with helping Katie understand that she was still very much the same girl as she was back in D.C., she made her way up the corridor and stood outside the study. Leaning on the door, she heard the conversation between Callen and Sam. At first, she was annoyed that Sam had been filled in on their whereabouts, but as she listened to Callen open up to him, she realised just how much Callen needed him.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she heard Callen admit how much he had failed by leaving Alex behind, when he moved to Los Angeles. The flood gates opened up when Callen revealed to Sam just how much it killed him, over the state he found her in, back in Donetsk. She quickly wiped her eyes and made her way out the back door. She sat on a chair out in the patio, reflecting on the events that brought her husband back into their lives. She knew how bad Callen felt, but the pain inside of her still hurt. Fear that he'd leave them again found it's way in the edge of her mind. She knew it was stupid and she had scolded herself for even thinking it, but she couldn't help it. Worrying for something that may never happen was a habit of hers when it came to her personal life, but not her job. If it had, there was no way she would ever have chosen the career path of an agent. She face danger every day, but it never concerned her. It was only the nigglings of her personal life that worked it's way into something more than it was. However, she had a good reason for her fear. Hetty had already taken Callen away once and she still had no understanding to the reasons why. Callen was just as much surprised and puzzled as she was. She needed to speak to Nell about it while she had the chance to see the younger woman. To find out if Hetty had mentioned it to her, or if Hetty had a file on her somewhere that she could get into and read. Surely she had one on her that she could forward onto her. She'd love to know why Hetty was so determined to keep Callen away from her.

She fiddled with the envelope in her hands. Her blood results had arrived that afternoon, but she was wary to open it up and read what it said. Fear for her future sat in her hands and she couldn't change the fact of what it said. No matter what she tried to do, she knew if the results were bad, it would be the final straw for her. After all that she had endured, she was vulnerable, more so than she'd felt in all of her life. And she despised it.

"Are you going to open it?" She looked over and saw Callen standing at the back door watching her. She saw his eagerness to get over this news before it made him burst. She had noticed the worry lines etch deeper in his forehead and around his eyes over the past six months. Worry for her had aged him, she realised. It proved more to her just how much he still loved her, even after walking out on their marriage.

"I don't know. I feel it's like opening up Pandora's Box. If I do, I'll let a whole lot of things escape that I'm not ready to handle. But if I don't the worrying about it will eat at me." Her hand trembled as she held it in her hands. Callen walked over and sat down beside her, holding her hands in his.

"How about we do it together?" Sam watched his partner with his wife from within the house. He observed how frail she looked and he was surprised that she was a fellow agent. He knew that what happened to her in Donetsk had done this to her. He was still in the dark over exactly what had happened to Alex, but he knew that whatever it was, Callen appeared to struggle to talk about it. Anger flashed through his veins and desire to strangle and torture Green slowly and painfully, entered his thoughts. This wasn't him and it surprised him. He was a man of honour and integrity, not of revenge and anger.

Alex took in a deep breath and nodded. Together, she and Callen ripped open the white envelope and unfolded the letter. She glanced at the words, but they appeared as jumbled up letters. She squinted her eyes and tried to read it again. She read the first two sentences and noticed Callen was watching her, reading her thoughts as she read the report. She looked up and met his gaze. Relief flooded through her system and tears of emotion streamed down her face. She was in the clear of any diseases that Roman could have passed onto her. Callen wrapped his arms around her and moved in closely. He gently kissed her temple and held her there. He soothed her, she noted. What was it about him that soothed her? She'd pondered about that fact ever since she'd met him.

Finally she was free. That feeling of being released from her bonds that had chained her down for the past six months was exhilarating. A smile formed on her lips and a laugh escaped her throat. She looked up at Callen and saw him join in on her joy.

"We should celebrate, Al. You, me and Katie. A weekend trip up north, camping. Just like we used to do."

"I'd like that, very much." She felt lighter all of a sudden and like her old self again, before he left. When their lives seemed so much simpler.

She looked to the door and back at Callen. "Are you going to introduce us?"

Callen raised his brow surprised she'd noticed Sam being there, but he shouldn't have. Like himself, nothing passed by her without being noticed. One of the many great qualities she possessed that made her a great agent. "I should have known that you'd know he was here. Have you seen Nell?"

"Kind of. I like her. She's good with Katie." Her voice remained low, aware that they were outside talking, incase nosy neighbours listened into their conversation.

Sam stepped outside and joined them on the patio. "Sam, this is my wife, Alex." His lips spread into a proud smile. "Alex, this is my partner, Sam."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Alex." Sam held out his hand to shake hers, but she drew him in for a hug.

"No, Sam. It's my pleasure. Thank you for keeping G alive for us."

Sam was taken aback by her warmth. He'd never expected this welcome from her, seeing how she'd looked so fragile a few moments earlier. He knew she'd received good news for her whole demeanour had perked up after reading it. The sparkle had returned into her eyes and he could see the gorgeous woman that his partner had fallen in love with.

"I'm sorry I couldn't tell you the truth years ago at the hospital. I didn't know who I could trust. After Hetty's call…"

"I'm sorry too, Alex. I wish I had known about you then. Known that someone else out there cared about him. He needs a family. I'm glad he's got you and Katie."

"You know I am right here, don't you?" Callen quipped, but pleased that Alex and Sam appeared to be hitting it off better than he thought.

"And there he goes, seeking attention again." Sam mumbled and Alex burst out laughing.

"Oh you know him so well," Alex replied. They were teasing him, but Callen was all smiles as he watched her glow. It was the first time in six months that he'd seen her happy again.

"I sure do. But even so, he's managed to keep you a huge secret." Sam felt a mixture of emotions. Disappointed that Callen hadn't let him inside his inner sanctum about Alex, but happy that finally he had and that he had the chance to be a husband and father. The one thing he'd wished for his partner since the day he met him.

"That's my fault," Callen added. He stood up and moved beside Alex. "I should never have left her." He wrapped his arm around her and drew her in for a kiss. "Let's find Katie and Nell, so I can introduce the two of you."

Nell looked up at the sound of laughter as Callen, Alex and Sam walked into the house. Nell had never met Alex before, although Granger had provided her file to read. However, the image in her file was very different to the woman beside their team leader. She looked tiny compared to Callen and Sam, and for the first time since being read in on this secret operation of Callen and Alex's, the impact of what she had endured in Donetsk, hit her.

"Nell, I would like you to meet my wife, Alex." He loved referring to her as his wife. He'd missed her so much over the years and he was now making up for it. Undercover, he'd introduce her as Kelly, his wife. But it just didn't have the same effect. They weren't themselves, although back at home they tried to be. "Alex, this is Nell. Our Intelligence Analyst."

Alex stepped forward and embraced Nell into a hug, causing surprise to spread across Nell's face. Like Sam, she too hadn't expected such warmth from Alexandra Holden. "It's great to finally meet you, Nell. I've heard bits and pieces about you from Owen and G. I feel like we've been friends for years."

"It great to finally meet you too, Alex. Granger's told me some for the case, but it's really good to meet you and Katie in person." Nell smiled warmly back, pleased at how easy Alex and Katie were with her. From the sounds of the laughter, it appeared that Sam and Alex hit it off too. Her nerves settled in the pit of her stomach that had been jittery on their arrival. She sighed a happy sigh and looked over to Callen, the joy in his expression said it all. He was happy here with Alex and Katie. Being a husband and father suited him. Alex had done a great job in raising Katie on her own, but she reminded her of Callen in so many ways which she found interesting. Genetics were a fascination to her and she found herself analysing Alex and Callen in comparison to Katie, the child they made together. Remarkable at how strong the Callen genes were in comparison to the Holden genes, she thought.

"I think we should crank up the barbecue for a feast, Sam. Let the women bond in the kitchen." He winked over to Alex and Nell, as he led Sam back outside. They had a great deal of catching up to do.


	15. Chapter 15

**Till Death Do Us Part**

_Disclaimer: NCISLA characters belong to Shane Brennan. All original characters and this story are mine._

* * *

**Chapter 15**

**Office of Special Projects**

The time away in Santa Barbara with Callen and his family had gone better than Sam and Nell had envisioned. They stayed until lunch on the Saturday and said their goodbyes. They chatted openly on the drive back to Los Angeles, getting out everything that was on their mind and about their time with the "Sheers" —- before they returned to their old life. There was a lot of laughter between the two working colleagues, if anyone had watched them along the journey home, they might have thought that a romance was blossoming between the unlikely pair. But they knew the truth. They had something secret shared between them that bonded them together, as good friends and colleagues working for the greater good. They had a family that was dear to them to protect.

Sam never thought he'd enjoy Nell's company as much as he had for the past twenty-four hours. He knew that when they returned to work come Monday, their working relationship would shift. He only hoped that no one came to the conclusion as to why. Away from Eric, Nell appeared normal in Sam's book. No longer geeky. She was funny, entertaining them all with funny stories from her growing up years with her brothers and sisters. She impressed them with her drones skills and that she'd won some competitions, a fact that Sam and Callen kept in the back of their minds, if a future case involving drones came their way.

They were impressed with her varied skills, not just her brains. She was smart, that was something they'd known from the start, but they also knew the truth of who she really was. A trained agent, who could protect not only herself, but have their backs as well. She was put in place to keep a close eye on Hetty, who remained every bit a mystery to them all. Something Sam appreciated knowing, especially seeing he hated his temporary partner with a vengeance. More now that he knew the truth about Green. But he had to keep a lid on his emotions around the rogue agent, allowing further proof to his dealings so he could be punished fully for all that he'd done, not just in Donetsk. Burning Alex, was the tip of the iceberg.

Sam pounded the sand bag on the landing in the mission, trying to expel his frustrations of having to work with Adam Green and not with his partner. He enjoyed having the time with Callen and he missed him again now he was back at work. He'd spent the rest of the weekend with Michelle and Kamran, thankful to have the time with his own family before another busy week at work. Not knowing what the week would bring them with regards to cases, it brought along it's own amount of tension, let alone the ones already brewing.

"Something is bothering you, Mr Hanna." Hetty stood patiently to the side as she watched her current team leader pound the heavy leather encased sand bag. She admired his technique and rhythm, something that told her a great deal about the person she watched. He was a man of integrity and he felt things close to his heart. He worked by the letter unless it involved someone he cared about and he sought justice for the innocent. He'd enter danger to protect his partner, but not the one he was placed with currently. And that was one big problem for Henrietta Lange. She'd tried so many times to get answers from their Director, Leon Vance, but still, nothing.

"You think?" Sam stopped pounding and took in a deep breath. "Im sorry to snap at you, Hetty. But it's been over six months now, I want my partner back and Green gone."

"I agree with you, Sam." She sat on the bench seat and waited for him to join her.

Sam bounced the bench seat as he sat down, his heavy set was too much for the petite woman who held on to her position firmly. "I can't work with Green anymore. I don't like him, I don't trust him. No one on the team trusts him."

Hetty took in a deep breath and slowly released it. "I am well aware of the situation, Sam. I wish I could bring your partner back and have someone else deal with Green. Unfortunately, this is above my pay grade."

Sam knew the why now, but held his tongue. Instead he nudged the conversation in a different direction, to dig for answers of another puzzle. "I know you care about G like a son, Hetty. You always sought what was best for him. You wanted to give him a family, even when he was a kid."

Hetty held her peace as she thought of the missing member of her team, her family.

"Can I ask a question?" Sam turned and faced her, lowering his voice. "Why did G move so much growing up? Isn't thirty-seven foster families too much for a kid to emotionally deal with all of that moving about?" It made sense to him when G put it to him the other night, that his movements growing up was indeed irregular. He'd done some research of his own over the weekend and found that foster kids were usually only moved if the child was in danger, or if they had to be placed in a temporary home until a more suitable one arose. But thirty-seven? How could any child adjust and feel safe if they knew that they would be moved at any moment? Something he was certain happened to his own partner. The fact that he'd grown up to the man he is today, was a miracle.

Hetty sighed. "It wasn't by choice, Sam. I wish I could have found him a family to grow up in and be loved like he had before he lost his mother. Unfortunately, after the shooting, Mr Callen went into shock and couldn't speak for a very long time. When I found him, two years later, he was seven, living in an orphanage. I'd just found out about his sister's death and it broke my heart, I did everything I could to help him. I had to for his mother's sake. She was a good friend and I cared for her like a sister. But there were other elements in the equation. He was in danger from the Comescus. They had contacts all over the country searching for the Callen children. I have a horrible feeling that they found Amy and killed her. I had to hide him, move him about whenever I got whispers that they were close to finding him. The longest and happiest time he had was with the Rostoffs. Three months, then I had to move him because a Comescu had found him." A tear welled up and threatened at the edge of her eyes.

"What about his father, Nikita? Couldn't you use your contacts to find him so G could live with him?"

Hetty shook her head. "Clara never mentioned to me who their father was. Until last year, I had no idea who he was."

"Did you ask anyone else in Clara's family for help? Her mother, a cousin?"

Hetty narrowed her eyes as she thought about it. "I never knew about any family of hers, except that her father had been killed by the Comescus. She never talked about her family."

"Surely the CIA had a next of kin on her records?" The more he thought about it, the more it made sense to him, that there was more Hetty could have done for his partner, back when he needed it the most.

She shook her head. "I couldn't let them know about Clara's children. Langley would have scooped them up and turned them into assets. A child of an agent, you've heard the rumours, Sam. What kind of life would he have had?"

"They could have helped you find his family." Sam stood up and continued pounding.

"Where's all this questioning coming from, Sam?" She stood up and walked around the sand bag and held it.

Sam huffed through his frustration. "Ever since I've known G, I've never known about any of his family because he never knew. Then he found out the other year —- after you took off on your own, that you knew his mother. You asked me to become his brother, so I did. But we both know that finding his family has been the brunt of his mind for most of his life. What is his name, who is his family? I feel that we're not enough for him. He needs his blood." Satisfied he had said all that he'd needed to for the moment, he unstrapped the gloves and sat back down. He wiped the sweat from off his brow and around his neck, before swallowing water from a bottle.

Hetty watched him and thought about everything Sam had asked her and said. "Do you think that's where he is now? Out searching for his blood?"

Sam shrugged his shoulders. "I haven't a clue, because he's been gone six months. Pulled out of the office by Director Vance, who avoids your calls for how many months? And he still avoids providing the information on where he is. How do we know he's not gone lone wolf? We don't." Sam knew he was walking on thin ice even bringing up the subject of his partner with Hetty, but he needed to find out answers for him, seeing Vance was keeping Callen far from her at the moment.

"You are right, Sam. We haven't a clue." She watched Sam walk away to the showers, ready for whatever the day brought him. She climbed down the stairs and dialled her phone.

"Leon. We need to talk."

Leon Vance sat at his desk, alone. He'd just completed a meeting with the SecNav, who wanted updates on the mole in OSP and on Owen Granger's recovery. Talking to Hetty was the last thing he wanted, but he'd endure her anyway. "Hetty, how are things settling back down after all the excitement recently?"

"My people are rattled, Leon. They're looking at each other, wondering if they're a mole too. I know I vet my people well, but after having one slip under the radar, I'm not sure if I've failed to find any others." Leon knew where she was leading and he knew she had failed. Because Nell Jones had found one huge thing about Green since he was under her care and she still hadn't a clue about it. Perhaps Hetty was getting too old for her job? He knew she would fight him to the death in keeping her position as Operations Manager at OSP. She cared too much for her people.

"You are worried about Green." It was a statement, not a question. He had wondered if placing Green there was such a good idea, but he had run out of options. Green was rotten and he needed to get him out of Boston and away from his usual contacts ASAP. He had agents in the field that he needed to protect, after Green had burned Alex in Donetsk. But it was still Alex's word against Green's. He was well up to date with Owen's interrogations with Green, and he had gone over the intel that they pulled from it and he'd read Nell's analysis. They were getting close.

"I'm damn well am, Leon. No one likes or trusts him. He doesn't play well with others. This unit needs to trust each other and he is a huge problem for all of us. Mr Hanna is at the end of his tether in having to deal with him. He wants his partner back."

"I know and he will eventually. But Agent Callen is on a long deep cover assignment. He can't be pulled out until he's finished doing the job he's been ordered to do." Leon thought for a moment before continuing. "Why don't you mix up the agents. Have Detective Deeks partner up with Green for a bit. See how things go from there."

Hetty didn't like the solution one bit, but she'd accept the suggestion. "Okay, Leon. We will give it a try. Please send our Mr Callen home soon. His team misses him."

"I will try my best, Henrietta. Give my regards to Owen, I hope he's recovering well from his ordeal."

"It will be another few weeks before we see Owen around here, Leon. He took a nasty dose of that poison." She berated herself for not seeing it herself. He'd become thin and more snarky than usual. The tell tale sign that something was not right with the Assistant Director. She knew she would have to be more astute to those around her. Any tell tale signs that something is a mis, she will act. She couldn't have another of her people harmed again.


	16. Chapter 16

**Till Death Do Us Part**

_Disclaimer: NCISLA characters belong to Shane Brennan. All original characters and this story are mine._

* * *

**Chapter 16**

**Santa Barbara — June, 2015**

Callen rolled onto his side and placed his hand over Alex's bulging belly. A smile crept across his face as tiny feet kicked out and hit the jackpot to where his hands laid. Their son grew bigger each day and he couldn't wait to meet him. They'd already picked out his name, it was an easy choice and he couldn't wait until his son met his namesake, Sam. He missed the big guy, but at least he managed to sneak up and visit once a month.

So far, Hetty hadn't discovered the truth. Owen had recovered from his poisoning and he visited them a couple of times, spending Christmas with them. Katie enjoyed the visits from his colleagues back in L.A., getting to know them and more about her father in the process. Sam wanted to bring his family up to visit them, but he didn't want to place Alex in danger if Green found out about his family and that Alex was alive. Instead, he visited with Nell, whom in turn visited his family more often since that first visit with him to Santa Barbara. She had become close friends with Michelle and she was a hit with Kamran too. If she wasn't hanging out with Beale, she was either on a girls' night out with Kensi, hanging out at the Hanna household or up in Santa Barbara visiting the "Sheers."

"Would you two stop playing tag at my expense?" Alex rolled out of bed and headed into the bathroom. It had been a long time since she was pregnant with Katie, and back then she'd done it alone. She enjoyed having G beside her all the way during this pregnancy. This was the first time for G to go through the pregnancy with her and he was attentive, reading everything on the subject. She could see that he was nervous and excited. But it was his nervousness that made her nervous too. Like two teenagers who'd sneaked off from their family to have a baby. Hiding away in a new town under the guise of aliases for protection and for G's assignment, was virtually the same. Except for the fact that they were both adults with a ten year old.

"We did nothing wrong." Callen followed her into the bathroom and leaned on the doorframe. "I was hugging you both and our son responded."

"With a kick, that makes me need to pee and hurt my back." Callen frowned and worried about her.

"Is your back still bothering you?" She'd been given the all clear from the doctors over her injuries that she had sustained in Donetsk, before she fell pregnant. But her bulging belly did nothing to comfort the backaches.

Alex raised her brow. "What do you think, huh? You try carrying this extra weight around and placing pressure on your back everyday for months on end. Then your feet swell up and you feel like a duck waddling everywhere." The timing of their baby worked in well with her going on maternity leave after the school year ended.

Callen moved behind her as she washed her hands and he rubbed her shoulder blades. "I'm sorry you're uncomfortable, Ally. Just think of the little guy you're growing inside of you. Our son." He couldn't have been any prouder at that moment of his own family. He nibbled on the curve of her neck and soothed her. She relaxed and turned to face him. The bump made it impossible for him to pull her in close to hug, she often found him giving her hugs from behind. It was sweet and she appreciated his thoughtfulness.

"I know. I'm sorry for being such a grump. But it's getting harder to sleep and I constantly feel uncomfortable."

"You're not a grump. You have every right to complain. Let me make you breakfast."

He smiled when Alex nodded and started the shower. He watched her slip under the water and wash the aches away. His smile continued as he worked in the kitchen with Katie beside him. They were making pancakes. Alex's favourite, with panacotta and blueberries.

Upstairs, as Alex dressed, her email beeped on her laptop. She opened the file and read the contents. She sat down and became absorbed in the details of what Nell had finally found for her. Hetty's file on her. She furrowed her brow as she read the information. "That's not right." She continued on, confused even more as to why Hetty had such details on her. The woman had details of every stage of her life. From when she was born, went to kindergarten, school, college, FLETC and then her career with NCIS. But the details weren't right. "Who does she think I am? This is not me." Okay, the details about her schooling and career were definitely her, but the earlier details and the name was definitely not her. "Who the hell is Alexa Calin Vadim?" She quickly sent Nell a response.

Thanks, Nell for the intel. I have no idea who this Alexa Calin Vadim is, nor why Hetty has her birth details mixed in with my schooling and career. Surely she's made a mistake and that's why she's tried to keep me away from G? Kelly.

Alex closed her laptop and walked downstairs, still puzzled over the intel. Her face brightened upon seeing G and Katie dancing to Katy Perry, as they flipped pancakes in the pan and poured the next. "You two look like you're having fun. Can I join in?"

Katie ran over and hugged her mom as best as she could. "Morning, Mom. You just sit and we'll wait on you." Katie poured a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice and placed it in front of her.

"Thanks, sweetheart." She rubbed her belly as her son kicked again to let her know that he's there too. "Yes, you'll get to enjoy the pancakes too." Her worries from a moment ago flew out of her mind as she enjoyed being waited on. "Ooh, these are delicious. Thanks."

Callen and Katie sat beside her on either side and became quiet as they filled their mouths with breakfast. Until one of them started toe tickling under the table and erupted in laughter.

Life couldn't get any better, Alex thought. The three of them had come a long way. It took her time to adjust to being with Callen again and he had been patient with her as she healed from her injuries. The guilt from abandoning her years ago made him try even harder to make up for it. And made up for it he had. She felt spoiled and loved and eventually she relaxed around him. As she watched him over the past year, she saw how much he loved being with them. Callen felt complete and all her fears flew out the window. It was when she relaxed, that she let him back into her heart. Before then, she'd argue, just for the sake of arguing. He'd stand calmly and took it, another point in his favour. Then she'd shout at him for being so calm and he'd held her and comforted her. He understood where she was coming from. What he'd put her through and then the ordeal in Donetsk, it was difficult to accept that life was now in her favour. That she had what she wanted, needed and deserved —- her husband back and they were a family. After the news of being cleared from disease, she relaxed that bit more and eventually she'd allowed G to sleep beside her. But it had been a long process for her to get to where she was now. A tremendous amount of faith and trust, to allow her husband to touch her and love her. The result of that love kicked inside of her, causing her to run to the bathroom to pee again.

**Office of Special Projects, Los Angeles**

Green couldn't keep track of Nell Jones. He'd tried to follow her on numerous occasions, deciding the young Intelligence Analyst was a weak point in the team. Beale wasn't his kind of fun, Green decided. A geek, who played video games and surfed. Green hated the beach with a vengeance. Sand. Ugh! No. There was no way he'd worm his way into Eric Beale's life, just to get into this tight knit group. But Nell Jones fascinated him. She bounced around the office and always appeared polite, even when she dealt with him. He wanted to know more about her —- he tried to follow her. See where she lived and hung out. Who her friends were, who and if she had a boyfriend. From what he observed in the office, Nell was close to Eric Beale. They had their own language, it appeared now and then and he had no idea what they were talking about. Ugh! No. He couldn't see Eric and Nell together, together. She was too good for him. She needed someone better, tougher and to show her the way to become a field agent. She needed him, he decided.

If only he could find out more about the young woman. He watched her in her dresses and he was curious as to why she always appeared covered up with a cardigan over her arms. Something else he wanted to discover, he thought. He tried to get close to her at work and to ask her out, but Sam always got in the way. On the odd occasion, he'd caught them in the burn room and he found the door locked on the inside. Curious, he thought. Sam was the largest man he'd known and Nell, well, she was almost as petite as Hetty. Complete opposites. He shook his head and dispelled the idea of an office romance between the two. Ridiculous. But something was definitely going on between those two and he needed to get to the bottom of it. If only Hetty didn't have cameras dotted all over the place. Ever since the mole incident, the woman was more paranoid than ever.

Owen Granger was needed up in San Francisco which meant he couldn't visit Callen and his family. Nell had plans with Eric and she hated to cancel them. He was questioning her on what she was doing, when she was either at Sam's or at Callen's. She couldn't afford for Eric to catch on to what was going on, but she needed Sam to head north to Santa Barbara for the second weekend in a row.

"It's okay, Nell. I can go." A smile crept across his face at the thought of another trip to Santa Barbara to see his partner again. It had been a long week and he was ready to exit the mission to leave the stress of the job behind. But it wasn't just any trip. Nell had information that had to be handed to Alex in person. She just couldn't tell Sam what it was, it was confidential. It was too sensitive to even email encrypted like she'd done in the past. She'd found some information that made her nervous and she had to send it onto Alex immediately. Normally Granger's visits could be held off, but she hated for this latest intel to get into the wrong hands. She handed him the envelope and ensured he understood the sensitivity of the contents.

"I get it, Nell. It's me, remember?" She nodded and nibbled on her lower lip from nerves. "You know you look very endearing when you do that, Nell."

Nell furrowed her brow at him. "Doing what?"

"That. Nibbling on your lower lip. I watch Eric melt when he sees you do it. You sure the two of you haven't thought about…"

Nell's eyes widened and she shoved her hand over his mouth. "Don't you dare say it, Sam. I will slowly kill you in your sleep, if you do." It was a meaningless threat, knowing too well that she could never harm him nor want too.

"You like him. I can see that."

"As a friend. But you know," she lowered her voice to a soft whisper, "you know the truth about me, Sam. Eric doesn't. If he knew the truth, it would hurt his feelings that I never told him. Who can have a relationship built on lies?"

He understood her predicament and he nodded. "I'll leave now before we get another case." He left her there pondering about Eric Beale, the kind man who worked tirelessly beside her to help protect and feed information to their field agents.

The drive north was easier than Sam had predicted, even after all of his rerouting to avoid any tails. With his cell switched off and his challenger's GPS disabled, he sang to the jazz that pounded out of the speakers, putting him in a happy mood. He pulled up outside the now familiar house and rang the doorbell. He heard movement inside and smiled when he saw Alex waddle to the front door.

"Sam. What a surprise. Come on in." She stood back to give him room and closed the door behind her. "G won't be home from work till eight tonight. But you're welcome to stay the night."

"That would be great, thanks, Alex. Can I use a phone to let Shell know I'll be held up tonight?"

"Yeah sure." She led him into the study and turned to give him some privacy.

"Nell asked me to give you this. She said it was too sensitive to send by encrypted email."

Alex looked at the envelope and nodded. "Thanks, Sam." She headed out the door and found a quiet space out on the patio. Katie was having a sleepover with a friend which she was happy about. After Nell's talk with her late the year before, Katie had settled better at school and she was always having friends over or going over to theirs.


	17. Chapter 17

**Till Death Do Us Part**

_Disclaimer: NCISLA characters belong to Shane Brennan. All original characters and this story are mine._

* * *

**Chapter 17**

**Santa Barbara**

Alex had hoped Nell could have delivered this information in person than send it with Sam, but she understood why Nell couldn't come on this occasion. It was challenging enough to hide from those she worked with, exactly what she was up to as it was. She took in a deep breath and opened the envelope. A folder with "confidential" was stamped on the front cover with the title: Operation Comescu. Alex furrowed her brow. Comescu. She'd heard that name mentioned in conversation before. Between Owen and G. A Romanian crime family who sought vengeance on the Callen bloodline. A shiver ran down her spine at the thought of their daughter, Katie, being in danger from this family. Determination ensued her to keep reading, anything she received from Nell, she hoped would help her understand all threats to her family and who Henrietta Lange was. She never envisioned to receive so much information from Nell together, but she'd been waiting months for this.

She pulled out her blue rimmed glasses and studied the pages. The first was about the original operation when King Michael asked the United States for assistance. A team of OSS officers flew into Romania to dispel any who had helped the Nazis in the eastern European country. She found the Comescu names, there were three of them in total, who were killed. The man who led the team was a man named George Callen. A photo of the man was paper clipped to the page and she studied it. G's grandfather, she realised. She could see some resemblance, but mostly G was like his father, Nikita. She continued to read the report about George Callen's death and how his Romani wife, Suzana Dalca fled to America with their daughter, Clara. She found the details about the Callen family, Owen Granger's family appeared in the document. Here was the evidence that Callen deserved to have been given all those years ago. Proof of who he was —- his family and his history. Instead Hetty kept him far away and hidden from them. Anger rippled under the surface, but she reined it in. It wasn't good for the baby to get angry.

Another document showed details of the Comescus dealings in the United States. A daughter of the Comescus, Calin, married Dimitri Vadim. They moved to Boston back in 1975, with their daughter, Elena. In the next paragraph, she saw that name again. They had another daughter, Alexa Calin Vadim. She was born the same year as Alex, she noted. A family photo was paper clipped to the page, Nell was thorough. She picked the photo up and studied it. A fair headed girl with curls and a baby with the darkest locks, such a contrast to her fair sister. But it was the blue eyes and raven hair of the baby girl that caught Alex's attention. So much like her. She picked up the documents and went inside to search for her photo album that she kept with her. Photos of her family and her childhood years with her brother and sister. They were close and she loved them dearly. She found it upstairs in the closet and managed to reach it without calling for Sam's help. She sat down on the bed, but with her back aching, she decided to move to the floor. She rested her back on the wall and opened the pages. Photos of her at two years of age and upwards. No baby photos. "Where are my baby photos?"

She wanted to call her parents to ask them to email her a copy, but she couldn't. No contact with her parents, that was the deal. She sighed. In the back of the album was an envelope stuck to it. She opened it and found something that she'd never knew was there before. It was given to her as a gift by her parents when she turned eighteen, but not once had she noticed this. Puzzled, she pulled the document out from the back. Her eyes widened as she read the document. She took in a ragged breath, a tear escaped and dropped on her belly. Quickly, she wiped her eyes and re read the document. Adoption certificate and change of name. Another page was folded behind it and it slipped into her lap. She took one look at it and shock spread across her face. Everything that she had ever known about who she was was a lie. Her parents, her siblings, weren't her's. In her hands was the proof that she had been born Alexa Calin Vadim. Daughter of Calin Comescu and Dimitri Vadim. Younger sister to Elena Vadim. But the Holdens, the only parents she knew, had adopted her. A closed adoption with only a judge involved.

She needed to talk to Nell. Her mind buzzed and she suddenly felt dizzy. She took in a few deep breaths but she still couldn't control it. Standing up in her condition wasn't a wise move at anytime, especially pregnant. She needed help, but the sensitive documents on her lap and floor beside her were a concern. She continued the breathing to gain back the control. The door opened and she found Callen kneeling down with worry. "Ally?" He studied her for a moment and realised something wasn't right. "What's wrong?"

"Dizzy."

Callen grabbed a glass and filled it up with fresh cool water and handed it to her. "Drink this."

Alex nodded, closing her eyes as she did. He continued to watch her, unaware of the paperwork around her. The water helped. Her head felt clearer and she opened her eyes again and she met his gaze. "Thanks. I must have gotten dehydrated."

Callen relaxed again. He'd only popped in to check on her and found Sam downstairs watching the sports channel. "I'll help you up." It was then that he saw the paperwork around her. He picked up the photo of a family of four and studied it. "Who are these people?"

Alex couldn't answer him. What was she to say? That's me as a baby with my real family? Her heart raced again and fear grew within her again. Callen flipped the photo over and read the names on the back. Dimitri Vadim, Calin Comescu, their two children, Elena aged 5 and Alexa, six months. He looked at the date, 1977. "Where did you get this? Why do you have this?"

"Nell. She sent it up with Sam." It was the truth, but it was all that she could tell him. She was still trying to get her head around the information herself.

"She sent it up for you. Why?" Callen collected the rest of the paperwork and found another photo. George Callen. His grandfather. "This should have come to me. This is my family. What's going on, Alex?"

A tear betrayed her courage to answer him. "Ally?"

Instead of answering him, she handed the documents still gripped in her hand. She sat on the bed and stared at the wall and surrendered. He wasn't suppose to find out about her search on why Hetty tried to keep them apart. Nell had agreed to help her, but she never expected to find this. That she was family to the Comescus. The family who had a blood feud with Callen's family. She was his enemy. No wonder why Hetty kept them apart for his protection. But she wasn't his enemy. She didn't know until now, who she really was. Katie. Oh my goodness. Poor Katie. And this baby growing inside of her. Their son. They were Comescu and Callen. They weren't safe. None of them were. If her real family found out what happened to her, they were in more danger than from Green.

Callen studied the documents, his brow remained furrowed. He kept his gaze on the documents, he couldn't tear himself away. He managed to rein in his emotions and remained a blank canvas to Alex. His wife. Crap. If these documents were true, then Alex was this Alexa. He remembered Alexa Comescu whom she was named after. The older woman who'd shot Hetty, when she'd gone in to protect him. Then Lauren killed Alexa to protect him. A nervous twitch betrayed him just under his left eye.

"G." Alex's voice trembled. Her hormones were all over the place as it was, now fear that she would lose her husband again shot through her.

He looked up and saw her fear. That same fear that made his heart pound heavily in his chest.

"I had no idea. No one ever told me I was adopted. I only found these documents now after seeing that old photo, I recognised myself. I came up here to find the album my parents gave me. I realised that I had no baby photos of myself. Then I found the envelope glued into the back of the album." She held her hand out to Callen's, but he remained still. Silent. He was shutting down on her. No. She couldn't allow this to tear them apart, not after all that they had gone through. "G, please say something."

"This is you?" He pointed to the baby in the photo.

Alex nodded. "But I don't recognise the others. Only what it says on the back. And the adoption papers." Her birth certificate had been kept with the adoption papers. There was no denying it. Who she really was.

"You never knew you were adopted?"

"No. My parents never told me." He believed her. He saw the fear in her eyes, heard it in her voice. "You're Comescu. Do you realise what that means?"

She nodded. "That I am the enemy. And we're all in danger."

Her words hung in the air and ripped through him. His wife. The love of his life. The mother of their daughter and their son. Their son whom she carried lovingly inside of her, bearing the aches and pains of motherhood. No, she wasn't the enemy. Not his Ally. He pulled her in as close as he could and held her. "No, Ally. You're not the enemy. You can't be blamed for those who came before you in your bloodline. It says here that you were a Vadim. The blonde, your sister, Elena. She's turned her back on the Comescus, and she's living her life far from them in South America. Argentina or Venezuela. I can't remember. She has a family too. Your father took her away from them. I think he was a good man, Ally, not an enemy. But you are right about one thing, we're all in danger from the Comescus. If they find out, if anyone finds out, all hell will break loose. We need to hide this. Keep the intel to ourselves." He placed everything back into the envelope and her adoption and birth certificate back into the back of the photo album, hiding them at the back of the closet. "Let's forget about this for now. We'll get back to this after Sam's gone, okay."

Alex nodded and sighed. Callen was a good man. A kind man who saw the good in people, even after all that he'd been through. "I'll ring Nell later. See if we can get her up here and explain all of this to us."

"She can't come. That's why Sam brought it up. Eric Beale's been asking her a lot of questions about what's she's been doing."

Callen nodded. "Okay. But we need to talk to her at some point."

He kissed her softly, tenderly loving her. "I love you, Ally. No matter what else we find out, you are not the enemy." They both had many questions over how she came to being a Holden and escaped the grasps of the Comescus.

"I love you too, G. Thank you." She squeezed his hand in thanks and followed him back downstairs to focus on their guest and to forget this nightmare.


	18. Chapter 18

**Till Death Do Us Part**

_Disclaimer: NCISLA characters belong to Shane Brennan. All original characters and this story are mine._

* * *

**Chapter 18**

**Los Angeles**

Michelle Hanna disconnected the call and turned to her guest, giving her a warm smile. "What can I do for you, Miss Lange?"

"Mrs Hanna. I don't wish to pry, but do you know where your husband is right now?"

Michelle turned her gaze to the phone in her hand and looked back to the formidable Henrietta Lange. "That was Sam on the phone. He's caught up on something and he won't be home till tomorrow. Was there something that you needed him for?"

Hetty shook her head. "No, thank you, Mrs Hanna. You've been most kind with the tea and for your time. I won't keep you any further."

Michelle led the woman out of the house and waited until she left. She dialled the number she'd been given for emergencies and waited for an answer. "Owen Granger, there better be a good explanation to why my husband is disappearing on a Friday night, calling me from an untraceable number and to why Miss Lange just visited me, looking for him."

Owen Granger left the office from the meeting he'd been caught up in, late on a Friday night. "Michelle. I can't provide that information. Let me deal with Hetty."

"Is he safe?" That was all that she needed to know. To provide her some comfort.

"Very safe."

"Thanks for clarifying that he's doing something for you. A wife can wonder some times."

"I understand. He'll be home tomorrow. Make the most of your weekend with him. He's having it tough at work at the moment."

"I know. He's so tense all the time." But not after his Friday nights away, which had brought the suspicions to the forefront of her mind that perhaps Sam was cheating on her. But not now. Owen Granger had confirmed to her that he was doing a secret job for him. But why was Sam so happy and relaxed on his return? Oh she was stupid. Of course. Callen. It made perfect sense for her and a smile spread across her face. Her mood lightened as she returned her focus to her daughter, Kamran.

"Hey sweetie. Dad will be home tomorrow. What shall we plan for the rest of the weekend?" She had a recital in the morning, but once Sam came home, there was plenty the three of them could do. Aiden wasn't planned to come home for a visit until next month. The four of them were heading north to Vancouver for a two week holiday.

Henrietta Lange sighed as she started her engine. Something was going on. Sam was disappearing somewhere on a Friday night and he and Nell were secretly meeting in the Burn room. She shook her head. No. There definitely couldn't be anything going on between Sam and Nell. Sam was a man of integrity. He wouldn't cheat on his wife. But curiosity got the better of her and so she found herself driving by Miss Jone's apartment, just to make sure.

The lights in the apartment were switched off and Nell's mini cooper was not in her parking spot outside. Still curious, she dialled her cell. "Miss Jones. Do you know where Mr Hanna has gone this evening? He wasn't home when I visited and Mrs Hanna couldn't tell me where he was."

"Hi Hetty. I have no idea. Do you want Eric to do a search? I'm at his place at the moment."

"Ah, no. Thank you, Miss Jones. Enjoy your weekend." She disconnected the call and remained in her vehicle. She hadn't considered that Nell would be with Eric. But she should have. They were good friends and they did a lot of things in their time off work together. She was losing her touch, she decided. Her age was creeping up on her faster than she'd like. As she pondered on what Sam and Nell could possibly be up to, she saw a figure appear out of the shadows. A man with a hood over his head. He held a torch light in his hands and broke into the building. She waited with her hand on her cell, ready to call the cops. A light came on in Nell's apartment and as she looked up from her Jag, she saw the face of the intruder. Green. He'd broken inside Nell's apartment. Suddenly, fear for her Intelligence Analyst grew in the bottom of her stomach. She dialled Nell.

"Miss Jones."

Nell furrowed her brow. "Hetty?"

"I'm sorry to bother you again. You don't have anything confidential in your apartment by any chance?"

"No, why?"

"I drove by your apartment on the off chance you were home before I called you earlier. Mr Green has broken into your apartment and he's going through your things as we speak."

Crap! Nell quickly thought over what to do. "What?" Shock over the lows that Green would go to, rocked her. She felt violated and angry. "How does he know where I live?" Her voice sounded like a mouse, it squeaked and she remained in her cover. Now was not the time to reveal her true identity.

"I have no idea, Miss Jones, but we will get to the bottom of why Mr Green is breaking into his colleagues' homes. Would you like me to call the police?"

"Yes, thank you, Hetty. I think I should stay here tonight. Just in case he hangs around."

"That's a good idea, Miss Jones." Nell hung up and looked worried over to Eric.

"Nell, is everything okay?"

She shook her head. "No. Hetty was passing by my apartment and caught Green breaking in." She wrapped her arms around herself for comfort. "Is it okay if I stay here the night?"

"Yeah, of course. You don't want to call the cops or Deeks?"

"Hetty's doing it. She's hoping it will scare him away."

"I'll come with you in the morning to make sure he's not taken anything."

"Thanks, Eric." She exited the room and headed for the bathroom. She pulled out her secret burn phone and made a call.

"What can I do for you, Miss Jones?"

"Director, we have a problem."

"What kind of problem?"

"Green. Hetty's caught him breaking into my apartment."

"Your cover apartment?"

"Yes. But still, he had no knowledge of where I am supposed to be living. Thankfully I don't keep anything at that location." She thought of all the computers and files she kept at her real home in the basement. Beale would be impressed with her set up, if only he knew about it. Guilt sat on her shoulders over the predicament of her deceit. She liked him a lot. He was one of the good guys and a dear friend. She only hoped that it never came to him finding out who she really was. She'd progressed a great deal in searching out who Hetty really was and felt she was close to the truth. Her eyes had widened at the information she'd found for Alex and she knew the truth was going to be hard for her to deal with, let alone telling Callen. She had wished she could have driven up to see them this weekend herself to talk it through with them, and hopefully, help them accept the truth. It made sense to her on why Hetty had tried to keep Callen and Alex apart now, but still, there were a lot of questions that needed answering.

"Okay. Stay clear of your real home for a bit. Keep your cover going. Where are you now?"

"At Eric's house. I'm staying the night, I don't fancy heading back to the apartment just in case Green is there."

"Good move. I'll get back to you on how our other investigation is going with Green's dealings in Europe. Watch your back, Nell. You're doing great work out there, it's not gone unnoticed. By the time you've finished there, you'll be ready to head up your own team somewhere. Have you thought about taking over from Hetty, I have a feeling she's starting to feel her age?"

"That mole incident and Helen's death has shaken everyone up. Eric is still looking over his shoulder at the office people."

"I'm not surprised. It's disturbing about what's going on. Two people are dead, we had a DOJ officer injured and Hetty was almost kidnapped. It's not a time to let our guards down."

"No it's not, Sir." She took in a deep breath before she continued. "What are your thoughts on the latest information I sent to you, through Assistant Director, Granger?"

"Very interesting. Have you sent it through to Alex?"

"I have. Sam took it up to her tonight. It's not going to be easy for either of them to accept this news."

"No it isn't. I've asked her father, to come in for a meeting with regards to the death of Calin Vadim. Her being a Comescu does make it more dangerous for Callen and Alex and their daughter. When's their baby due?"

"In two month's time. That's if this news doesn't make her go into early labour. I wish I could have gone up to visit them myself. It's probably a good thing that they're all undercover, hiding up there. I'm sure there are still eyes and ears out for the Comescus in Los Angeles looking for him."

"I'm sure there are. Which is why I have been happy to keep Hetty where she is. He's safer with her there, even though I haven't been happy with her actions, at least he's been kept safe from them." Leon rubbed his hand over his face as he thought over the situation. A knock on the door caught his attention. "It's late here, Miss Jones. I've got children to settle for the night. Let me know of any further developments. Update Granger on what you've just told me about Green. We'll see to removing him as soon as we can. I'm sorry to have placed this burden on you, but you're doing a lot of good for the agency and for Callen and his family."

"I know, Sir. Thank you." She disconnected the call and flushed the toilet. Hiding her private cell, strapped to her thigh, she went back out to the living room where Eric was absorbed in another video game. She sighed and sat back down, thinking of all the information she'd found for Alex and Callen and about Green. She hoped Granger returned from San Francisco soon. They needed to step up the interrogation again and get that final admission from him over his dealings with Roman Basara in Donetsk and burning Alex.

**Nell's cover apartment**

Annoyance flashed in Adam Green's eyes over the failure to find anything at Nell Jones' apartment. It was as if the woman had no life, no past, nothing that he could use to worm his way into her life, or hold over her. Sirens rang in the distance, disturbing his thoughts. He better get out of there just in case they were heading for his location. He couldn't get caught, how would he explain it that he knew the occupant and broke in? He might be a Federal Agent, but getting caught inside one of the team's homes would not go down well with his current boss. He switched off the lights and moved swiftly down the stairs into the darkness outside. He ran across the lawn and down the street where his car waited for him. He didn't see anyone watching him, but he saw the police car drive along the road, lights flashing, although the siren had silenced. Someone must have seen him, he realised. He was pushing his luck too far and slouched low in his vehicle. Well it really wasn't his, was it? A government issued vehicle that would be traced back to a federal agency, way before he was linked to being in the area. He could always say he was on the look out to ensure Nell was safe, if he was questioned. Worried for Nell, especially after the mole incident, late last year. It was still at the forefront of everyone's mind. Yep, that's what he'd do.


	19. Chapter 19

**Till Death Do Us Part**

_Disclaimer: NCISLA characters belong to Shane Brennan. All original characters and this story are mine._

* * *

**Chapter 19**

**Nell's cover apartment — the next day**

Eric Beale stood beside Nell as she entered her apartment. He tried to be brave for her, but he knew that Nell was tough. Tougher than him, anyway. He'd observed her over the years since she'd arrived at OSP and concluded that she was special. Funny and weird like him, well at least some of the time and tough when she needed to be. Not bad ass like Kensi Blye, but she had her own style and he liked her for it. Her appearance was deceptive, he'd picked up on that pretty fast. It was when Callen's so called ex wife, Tracy Rosetti appeared in the Naval Recruitment Centre, back in 2010. He'd seen her packing her government issued weapon into the rear of her denim jeans and his eyes had widened. She was not just any intelligence analyst, he realised. She was training to be a field agent. Since then, he'd put his own trust in her having his back whenever they had to go out into the field. So far, both of them had survived.

It was the action of Nell drawing out her weapon as she searched her apartment, that made Eric realise just how serious Green entering her home actually was. "Nell. Why are you holding your weapon if it was only Green who broke in?"

Nell turned and looked over to the Technical Operator and stared at him. What was she to say? I know what he's done? That he's a rogue agent, worst than Paul Angelo? A knock at the door saved her from answering him. "Deeks, Kens." Kensi pulled her into a hug, while Deeks nodded over to Eric and entered.

"Is there anything missing?" Deeks swept his gaze over the neat apartment, it being the first time he'd ever been there. He knew that Kensi had been there on numerous occasions after their girls' nights out. And of course Eric and Nell were always at each others homes playing video games or watching a sci-fi movie. But until now, Deeks realised that there was very little he knew about his colleague. He looked with concern over to the petite red head.

Nell shook her head. "I've not seen anything missing as yet. I've still have the drawers and cupboard and my closet to go through." With that thought, she left the three of them standing around while she went through her things.

"This place is so neat. Like no one ever lives here." Deeks whispered, resulting in a fist punch from his partner. "Ouch! What was that for?"

"This is Nell's home, Deeks. She's OCD on being tidy and organised."

"Unlike you then."

She glared at him for a moment and then shrugged. "Yeah. Who cares. I love the feel of a place being lived in. It comforts me, okay?"

"I thought I comfort you?"

Eric cleared his throat, "TMI."

Kensi blushed and glared at Deeks again. "You happy?"

"I will be when we corner Green and get him to spill his guts about why he was in here last night."

"No. You can't." They looked over to Nell, surprised by her response.

"What do you mean, we can't?" Deeks walked over to Nell and studied her for a moment. He was a great detective and something in her eyes told him that there was more to this story than any of them knew. "Is there something going on between you and Green, Nell?"

Nell's eyes widened in horror. "No." She punched him in the arm and Deeks flinched as she'd hit him in the same spot that Kensi had, moments earlier.

"Okay! So please explain what's going on."

Nell sighed and sat down on her sofa. "Director Vance asked me to keep a close watch on Green. He's a rogue agent and Vance needs proof to put him away for good."

"How bad? And why has he been sent to OSP?" Kensi moved closer and sat down. Curiosity getting the better of her.

"Pretty bad. He's burned an agent in Europe and he's been dealing with terrorists over there. Vance needed to get him away from the east coast for a while. He thought Hetty would keep a close watch on him in the meantime, seeing we were an agent down." She took in a deep breath. "I shouldn't even be telling you this, but I think now that Green's broken into my apartment, the whole thing has become too much."

"What would he be looking for in here? You don't keep anything from work at home do you?" Kensi asked her again.

Nell shook her head. "No. This is the reason why I don't."

"Good." Deeks walked over to the window and scanned the area incase Green was casing the joint. "It's not safe here for you to be on your own, Nell. Not until Green's gone."

"This is where I live, Deeks. I'm not allowing Green to frighten me out of my home." She stood and paced the room.

"Then we'll set a watch. I'll take the first shift."

"Um, how about I take the first watch." Eric spoke up after assessing the situation. "Then you, Kens and Sam can take the ones after."

"I don't need babysitting. Gees, guys. This is me. I've fought off dangerous situations on my own before. I can handle Green." Her frustration over the team not realising how tough she was showed through.

"And we swore that we wouldn't allow you to be placed in danger on your own again." Deeks remembered clearly finding Nell on the floor of the interrogation room after her fight with Brown. He shook the memory from his mind and focused back on her. "Not after Brown, Nell. I know you did good and we're all proud of you, but we're a team. A family. We're all here for you."

"Have you told Director Vance about last night?" Kensi looked over to her friend.

"Yes. And he told me to keep living here so Green doesn't suspect a thing. Which is why you are all going to leave me alone and go and have a fun weekend." She stood with her hands on her hips to show them that she wasn't giving in.

"Nell's right. If Green suspects that we know, it could place Nell in more danger." Kensi furrowed her brow as she thought for a moment. "What happened to the agent he burned?"

"I can't tell you, it's classified." Nell's thoughts went back to Alex and all that she'd read about the state she was in, when Gibbs and Callen found her. She shuddered.

Kensi and Deeks picked up on her reaction and concluded that the agent had been brutally killed. "Okay. I will do it your way, for now." Deeks didn't like it, but he would suffer it for the moment. "But I can't work with Green as my partner."

"I do it then." Kensi capitulated. "Someone has to."

"No." Nell's firm response caught all three of their attentions.

"Nell?" Kensi moved over to where Nell stood.

"Green can't be partnered with a female agent. Director Vance's orders." She hoped that would be enough to suffice them.

"Was the agent he burned a female?" Kensi watched Nell's facial expressions and noted that she was right.

Deeks looked over to Kensi with concern. "We've got to get Green out of our office."

"Vance is working on it, Deeks. We just need to give it some more time."

"I'll talk to Hetty then." Deeks walked to the door, about to leave.

"She can't do anything about Green. This is above her pay grade."

Deeks shook his head. "I can't guarantee I'll keep my mouth shut, Nell. I'll give you a week."

"We'll need longer than that, Deeks. I'm sorry." Nell closed the door behind her colleagues as they left her in peace. A headache thrummed under the surface, threatening to be an all out splitting migraine. She found some pain pills and swallowed them with water.

**The Navy Yard, Washington D.C.**

Oscar Holden entered the door into Vance's office. "Oscar, thank you for coming in to see me."

"Leon. Is Alexandra okay?" Ever since he'd received the call from Vance's secretary, he worried about Alex. Gibbs had forwarded on news to them every few weeks and they knew that their daughter was soon to give birth to another child. Things had gone better for her and they were pleased, although they missed her and Katie, terribly.

"She's safe and well, if that's what you're asking. But there is a problem." Leon shifted the folder on his desk and pushed it over to Oscar. "It's what we've found in these documents, that concerns us."

Oscar pulled his glasses out and started to read the file. He looked up and met Leon's eyes. "She knows this?"

"Our analyst sent the information to her last night. We have no idea if she's read it yet or if Callen's seen it."

Oscar sighed and laid back into the black leather chair. "We never told her that she was adopted. It was a closed adoption for her safety. Her mother was found murdered and Alex was crying beside her. At only eighteen months of age, she was the sweetest thing I'd ever seen. My unit was called in to take over from the local police, seeing she wasn't a citizen. The case still hasn't been solved after all of these years."

"So the murderer is still out there?"

Oscar nodded.

"Do you know who Alex's mother was?"

"Only that she was a Romanian national." Oscar noticed the look in Leon's eyes. "You know more about Alexandra's mother?"

"Unfortunately, we know a great deal about her mother's family." Leon handed another file over to him to read.

Oscar sped read the details and furrowed his brow. "It says in here that they are a well known crime family. None of our searches came up with anything on the woman to suspect that her murder had anything to do with her family. How come the FBI didn't have details to this family?"

"That's what I'm trying to establish. It goes back to near the end of World War two, when King Michael asked our government to help take down his own people who helped the Nazis. A unit of OSS officers moved in and killed three members of the Comescus. The team leader of this unit moved to Romania a few years later and married a local woman and had a daughter. But what he didn't know, was that the sons of these Comescu men, vowed to kill the leader of this team. They recognised him in Constanta and killed him. His wife fled the country with their daughter and lived with her husband's family. Many years later, the daughter followed in her father's footsteps and became a CIA officer. Due to her skills in speaking fluent Romanian, she was sent there on assignment. She went underground for a few years and begged her handler to get her and her children out. The woman was murdered on a beach in front of her children, before her handler could get there. Her children were rescued by a trusted friend of their father's and they were brought back to America. The blood feud continues to this day between these two families." Leon took a sip of water and allowed Oscar to absorb the information.

"The children, are they still alive?" The redacted file removed the names of the OSS officers, the CIA officer and the names of her children.

"It's well known that her son is still alive. Over his lifetime, the Comescus have tried to kill him. Only because of one person, who tried their best to hide him in the system, is he alive today. It came to our attention that the daughter died many years ago."

"So he's still in danger from them?"

"Yes he is and any children he may have. They want the whole bloodline killed."

"May have? You don't know?"

"Until a while ago, I didn't think he had, but I've learned of more recent times that he has a daughter and a son on the way." Leon watched recognition of who he was talking about light up in Oscar's eyes.

"Callen. The Comescus are after him?" He furrowed his brow and the complexity of the circumstances sunk in. "Alex's mother was a Comescu, which makes Alex…"

"A descendant of the Comescus. Enemy to the Callen family."

"I've got to see them. They've been through so much already, I need to talk to both of them." He looked down at the details. He'd had no idea about the history of Alex's real family and shook his head. Fear for his daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren, one who was still not due to be born for another two months, grew within him. "What have I done?"

"You had no idea, Oscar. Someone tried to wipe this under the carpet, but all it's done is place more people in danger. Who knew about the adoption and where Alex came from?"

"Beside my team and the local Police officers who arrived on scene, an old friend of mine, whose a judge. It was kept secret to protect Alex, incase whoever killed her mother came after her."

"Can I see the file from that case?" Leon's mind was ticking over faster than he was prepared for. Who killed this woman and why? Calin Comescu who was married to Dimitri Vadim, moved to America around the time Callen and his sister moved to America. Was the timing a coincidence, or did her family send her to America to keep a close watch on the two Callen children? Since the woman was murdered, no one would ever know. There was something in Leon Vance's gut that told him that he just might know who would have the answers to all of these questions. It was time he flew to Los Angeles to see his people over there and deal with Adam Green once and for all. Green might have been a great distraction for Hetty to keep her from finding Callen and Alex, but Nell and the rest of the team's lives were in danger. He couldn't wait any further.

"I'll have someone send it over to you, Leon."

A knock on the door, caught their attention.

"Hi, Gibbs." Oscar stood and greeted his old friend with a man hug. "It's good to see you again. Thank you for all the updates on Alex and Katie. We really appreciate them."

"Hi Oscar. You too." He shrugged. "That's what friends do." He looked over to Vance. "Have you finished updating him?"

"You can take Oscar with you now, Gibbs. Let me know how the visit goes."

Oscar looked between the two men and realised his wish to see his daughter had been granted.

"I'm taking you to see Alex and Katie, Oscar. Are you ready?"

"Yes. I just need to let Christine know I'll be away for a few days." He typed a text to advise her that an old case became hot and he'd be gone a while. After he'd received her reply, he quickly sent another text to his contacts at the Bureau to send the case file to Vance, and then he switched his cell off and handed it to Leon. "This is to make sure I'm untraceable."

Leon nodded and watched them leave for their chartered flight to Santa Barbara. He hoped Oscar could help Callen and Alex deal with this information. He'd contacted Nate Getz as soon as he'd read the file, knowing that Callen and Alex would need him.


	20. Chapter 20

**Till Death Do Us Part**

_Disclaimer: NCISLA characters belong to Shane Brennan. All original characters and this story are mine._

* * *

**Chapter 20**

**Santa Barbara**

The night with Callen and Alex had been more awkward than Sam had expected and he knew that something was bothering both of them —-no matter how much they tried to hide it. He knew his partner too well and called him on it.

"I know that something is bothering you, G. You and Alex, is everything okay?" They had been fine the weekend before, but with their history, he couldn't help worrying.

"I can't talk to you about it, Sam." Callen took in a ragged breath, trying hard to rein in his emotions. But it was no good. He'd had a sleepless night and he worried about Alex and their baby. The stress wasn't good and he'd heard her mumble and toss in her sleep, her nightmares had returned.

"Is there something wrong with the baby?" Although Alex appeared fine when he'd arrived, he asked anyway.

Callen shook his head and then it dawned on him. "The envelope. The information Nell asked me to bring up. What was in it, G?"

"I can't tell you, Sam. It's highly confidential."

"It's no good, G. You need to talk to somebody about it. You might as well tell him. He's your partner after all." Alex sat down beside him and snuggled in close. The shadows under eyes had returned and she felt so tired. Eight weeks, that was all she had to endure until their son arrived. But now she worried she wouldn't make it. Callen wrapped his arms around her, relaxing Sam's fears a bit, but still he worried about them.

"You sure?"

Alex nodded.

He looked to Sam and opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again. He took in a deep breath and tried again. He rubbed his hand over his face and kissed Alex on the temple. He loved her and he needed to show her that he still loved her, no matter who her birth mother was. The fact that she was dead and Alex had been raised by the Holdens, provided him the reassurance that they would get through this.

"We know why Hetty tried to keep us apart."

Sam leaned forward in his chair, waiting quietly for Callen to continue.

"Nell found proof that Alex was adopted. The problem lies with who her real mother was."

"Who was she?"

Callen stood and ran upstairs to find the file and brought it down to show Sam. It was easier this way. He showed Sam the birth certificate and the family photo. "Their names are on the back," he told Sam, although he could read the names of her real parents on the birth certificate.

Sam studied the documents and the photo. He looked up at Alex and back at the photo. "Are you sure this is you?" He couldn't believe it. He'd gone with Callen to rescue Hetty from the Comescu beach house back in 2011. Together with Deeks and Kensi, they'd killed some of them and those who worked for them. Hunter killed Alexa Comescu, later in Hawaii, Callen killed Dracul, and two years ago, Sam killed more of them to save his partner from them. And yet, here was one of them, married to his partner for sixteen years with two children, with no knowledge that she was one of them and that she should hate her husband. Her mother's murder had changed the course of history, now she carried his name, Callen, and bore his children. It was a great deal to get his head around and he understood why Callen and Alex were struggling with the news.

"So your parents never told you that you were adopted?"

"No. When I turned eighteen they gave me an album, but I never noticed the envelope in the back with my adoption papers and birth certificate until yesterday. After looking at that photo, I recognised myself. I pulled the album out and realised there were no baby photos of me in there. Now I know why."

"Do we know what happened to your parents? We know what happened to your sister, Elena."

"G told me. I would like to meet her. She is my blood." She saw the hesitation in Callen's eyes, the worry of what the reunion might do to them.

"What about the other Comescus?" Sam needed to get this out in the open, how Alex felt about them.

"No. After what I read in the file, there's no way I want anything to do with them."

"Your parents?"

"If they're still alive, I have no idea. But how did I end up being adopted, if they're still alive?"

"You think something happened to them?"

"It makes sense, doesn't it? Somehow, I ended up a Holden, with my parents raising me as if I was their child, not someone else's."

"Your father used to work in the FBI. Perhaps it was from a case he'd worked on." Callen's mind sped through a whole lot of ideas of what had happened, and how Alex came to being their daughter. Like Alex, he too came to the conclusion, that both of her parents had been killed.

"That's what I thought too. I need to speak with him." A sudden pain surged through Alex's belly, causing her to flinch. She took in a deep breath and slowly released it.

"Ally?"

"We better get her to the hospital, G. The baby's coming early." Sam knew the signs, he'd been through it twice before. Not that his kids came eight weeks early, but he knew the signs of a pregnant woman in labour.

Callen helped Alex off the sofa and ran for the bag. Fortunately, Alex had it prepared early. "I better call the Shepherds and let them know what's happening, incase we can't pick Katie up tomorrow." He dialled the home phone and spoke to Nick, Yasmin's father, remembering their alias names. "They'll keep Katie with them until we can pick her up. So we don't need to worry about her."

"Can they be trusted, G?" Sam worried for Katie's safety.

"Nick's a cop. She couldn't be in safer hands."

Sam nodded, relieved that of all places, Katie was staying in a cop's family home. He also saw the relief in Callen and Alex's expressions over where Katie was.

It only took Callen five minutes to drive to the local hospital and Alex was taken in immediately. She knew the small hospital well, having been there for her obstetrician visits throughout her pregnancy. Sam waited in the waiting room, thankful that this time no one had been shot. He had too many memories of waiting in a similar waiting room, to hear if his partner had lived or died from his injuries.

A heart monitor was strapped to Alex's belly and an ultrasound unit was rolled into the room. "Let's take a look at this baby of yours." The attending doctor examined her and saw that she was already seven centimetres dilated. "This one's coming fast. We need to get her into the birthing suite immediately. Call her obstetrician and get her in here stat." He turned to another midwife, who was monitoring the baby's heart beat. "We need one of our top paediatricians in to monitor the baby once it's born, to ensure it's breathing on it's own." The doctor was well aware how imperative it was to get the best staff in there for this baby, to ensure it survived, seeing it was eight weeks early. Just to be on the safe side. He'd delivered many premature babies and the hospital boasted it's neonatal and paediatric units of excellence. But they still couldn't relax and allow anything to go wrong.

Alex held on to Callen's hand, breathing through each contraction. Callen was amazed at Alex's strength, not shouting out or anything. Instead she breathed through each one. He held his other hand over her belly and felt the tightening with each contraction. It was such an amazing event for him. He'd never been through child birth before, other than his own, and thankfully, he had no memory of it. But this was more incredible than he'd read in the books. He continued to watch Alex in awe as her body prepared for delivery and she continued to breath and not push, as the doctor instructed. The doors opened and closed and a woman entered with a trolley. She stood back and watched and Callen realised what the trolley was. It was a small bed for a baby, with equipment and tubes sitting underneath, just in case. The paediatrician, he realised. She was waiting to take their son and check him out, once he'd made his way into the world. Samuel was coming to meet them sooner than either of them had expected. Worry and excitement intermingled within him. He kissed Ally on her temple and whispered words of encouragement and love.

A woman in her forties entered and a smile crept over her face. "Someone's eager to meet his parents." Karen Elliot walked over and took over from Dr Turner. "Hi Kelly, Tom. Are you ready to meet your son?"

They nodded, knowing it was going to happen whether they were ready or not.

"Tom, could you hold Kelly from behind her shoulders to support her. On the next contraction, Kelly, I want you to push and help your son." Alex nodded, concentrating on Karen and no one else in the room.

It was good to push, Alex knew this feeling. When it got to this point in the labour, it was all that you wanted to do, but she knew it was important to listen to when it was time and breathe through the contractions before then. There was no use in exhausting herself more than she had to.

**Los Angeles — nine hours later**

Adam Green couldn't believe it. He bumped into an old contact from his time in Donetsk, in a club on Saturday night. "Sasha. What are you doing in L.A.?"

"Hello, Adam. Roman wants to know what happened to you. It's taken me a while to find you. We have a problem." Sasha gulped down the brown liquid, burning in his throat.

"I've had problems of my own to deal with. My boss moved me to L.A. They keep telling me it's temporary, but I've been here for over a year now." Green sat beside the Ukrainian national and ordered the same whiskey as his contact. "What kind of problem?"

"That woman you told Roman was a spy for your government."

"Alexandra Holden. Yeah, what about her?"

"No one knows what happened to her or the men who traded her with some microchips."

"She's still alive?" All this time, Green was reassured that Alex was dead, no longer a problem to reveal his secrets.

"Not sure. The men who took her, they were Russian arms dealers, but they too have vanished from the face of the earth. None of Roman's contacts can find them."

"Why is Roman searching for them? Surely if they are who you say they are, and they have the woman, what's it to us?"

"The microchips were infected with a virus. All the weapons you gave us, are useless."

The reality of the situation hit Green like a ton of bricks. "You think these arms dealers were spies too?"

"Yes. We think they rescued the woman. Someone went to Washington to find her. Not even Katya, the woman she was travelling with, has seen her since. Her daughter is no longer at the school where Katya's son goes to either. Our searches have come up empty."

Green rubbed his face with his hand and pondered over everything that Sasha told him. He thought about the timing of his transfer, three weeks after he'd last seen Alex. The fact that no one has ever told him who he was filling in for, raised his curiosity. "Do you have photos of these men?"

"Thought you'd never ask." Sash handed over the images Roman had printed out from their security cameras as a precaution. But the men were ghosts. Just like the woman.

"No. This can't be…"

"What is it? You know these men?"

"Yes. They are both Federal Agents for NCIS. They used to work with the woman." He bashed his fist hard on the bar and cringed when pain shot up his arm. "You better leave. I have a feeling I'm being watched."

Sasha looked around, but as far as he could see, no one appeared to be watching them. He thought Green was paranoid, but the fact that he knew these men, he decided to capitulate and he stood to leave. "Take care, Adam. Roman has a position for you if you can't stay here."

Green gulped down another tumbler of whiskey as anger surged through him. Owen Granger's interrogations made sense to him now. He was being played with. That bastard. I'll show him what happens to those who mess with me. He stood to leave, but he was trapped. Marty Deeks and Kensi Blye stood in front of him.

"Green. Fancy bumping into you here. Who was your friend?" Deeks studied the man. An urgent call from Owen Granger came through, ordering them to follow Green closely. They were happy to do so after his breaking into Nell's apartment the night before.

"Dunno, just met him," Green shrugged.

"You sure? Cause from where we were standing, he looked like he knew you pretty well." Deeks moved closer to block his path. "You're coming with us, so what's it going to be? Handcuffs or are you going to behave?"

"You think you're better than me? You all go around acting as if you're high and mighty. Well I've got news for you. You aren't the boss of me, get out of my face." Green shoved Deeks away, but before he could get out of there, Kensi pushed him to the ground and wrestled him until she had both of his hands in cuffs.

Deeks hauled him up onto his feet. "Time for us to have a little chat, Green. About a lot of things."

Kensi and Deeks led Green out of the club and shoved him into the rear seat of the SUV. They drove to the boat shed, meandering around, just incase Green's friend tried to follow them.


	21. Chapter 21

**Till Death Do Us Part**

_Disclaimer: NCISLA characters belong to Shane Brennan. All original characters and this story are mine._

* * *

**Chapter 21**

**Santa Barbara**

Samuel was perfect. Blond haired and blue eyes, just like his father and sister. Although to those around them, Callen's eyes and hair had been changed, for his alias as Tom Sheers. The vivid blue eyes that stared up at them were a surprise to their obstetrician —- not that Karen Elliot said anything. She left Kelly and Tom alone to bond with their son, who was thankfully doing well considering his early arrival. He was to stay in the neonatal unit for a few weeks until he was strong and big enough to go home.

Callen watched Alex feed Samuel with awe. A tear escaped his eyes as he realised that he'd missed this with Katie, ten years earlier. Each moment with loved ones were precious and he was determined to ensure he spent as much time with each of their children, until the day he died. He was a father again, this time to a son and his heart swelled inside his chest. He gently pressed his lips to his son's temple, as he sucked nourishment from his mother's breast. This was what mattered in life, Callen realised. Family was his number one priority.

"I love you, Al," he whispered. Although a midwife sat with another baby over on the other side of the room, he needed to tell his wife how he felt, not how his alias felt. He kissed her lips with his, and the love he felt for her magnified by more than he ever thought that he could feel for another person. "You were amazing." He looked at his tiny son, five pounds exactly. So small, yet very much a living human being. "I'm going to teach you all that you need to know in this life, Sam. We're going to play basketball, wrestle, kick a soccer ball around and surf the waves. And one day, I'll tell you about girls and how to find the one. Just like how I found your mother."

Tears streaked down Alex's cheeks, listening to Callen talking to their son. Life was perfect for the four of them, all they needed now was for Katie to come and meet her little brother. But that will have to wait till the morning. It was late now and as she placed him in his crib, gently kissing his forehead. "Sweet dreams, little one. Mommy and Daddy will be back in the morning."

Callen led Alex back to her room, Sam had left soon after the news of Samuel's arrival had come through, he needed to spend the remainder of his weekend with his own wife and daughter. He had the biggest grin on his face when he met his namesake. He couldn't have been any happier for his partner at that moment. Although he knew that a dark shadow hung over their heads, but for now, they all focused on the happy event of the safe arrival of their son.

**Boat Shed, Los Angeles**

Owen Granger flew back to Los Angeles after he'd had word from Nell and Vance about Green. But it was the latest intel that Nell had found, that had Granger worried.

Nell managed to return to her real home after she scooted Eric, Kensi and Deeks, out of her cover apartment, and she spent the rest of her Saturday searching for more evidence to sink Green. Anger from him breaking into her apartment, drove her with determination to end him for good. Like Sam, she no longer wanted him in OSP. And now since she had told Eric, Deeks and Kensi about Green being rogue, they too felt the same. It was time to bring him down to face the full consequences of the law, for what he had done.

A known associate of Roman Basara's had been found entering the country in D.C., a week earlier. Then she'd traced his movements across the country to Los Angeles. Alex was in danger. She'd found communication between Roman and this man, Sasha Malis. They were looking for Alex, Callen and Gibbs. Owen immediately had Deeks and Kensi shadow Green.

Owen Granger entered the boat shed and found Deeks and Kensi sitting by the screen, watching Green. Adam Green sat in one of the interrogations rooms with his eyes glaring at the camera. The look creeped them out, how had they worked along side him for over a year?

"How come we were never told about Green's history?" Kensi needed to know why they had been left in the dark with him.

"It was a need to know, Agent Blye." He pulled a bottle of water from the fridge and gulped the contents down. "Now you need to know."

He strode into the room and sat opposite Green. They'd been there before, but now Green knew the game.

"Agent Green." Owen opened up a rather large file that Nell had gathered for him and pulled out the first photo and placed it facing Green.

"Tell me about Agent Holden in Donetsk." The games were over, it was time to dive in and get to the bottom of what Green had done.

"Never seen her before," Green shrugged.

"Look, Green. We know all about your dirty little secrets. It's time for your to come clean. You're going away for a real long time, whether you tell me what I want to know or not."

"Why bother then." Green was sharp and pigheaded. He knew how to play these games, now he knew what the game was and he was no longer in the dark.

"Play it your way then, Green. How about I run over all the evidence that we have on you and then you'll understand the charges laid against you." Granger was best when playing hardball. He didn't care whether Green cooperated or not. It was time.

"Agent Alexandra Holden was travelling with a mother from her daughter's school back to Donetsk, for her mother's funeral. She spotted you trading U.S. weapons to Roman Basara so you burned her. You told Roman that she was a Federal Agent and you allowed Roman to take her and her friend hostage, where she was starved, beaten and raped for two weeks. You didn't care what happened to her, as long as she wasn't around to tell anyone about you. Isn't that right, Agent Green?"

Green sat still, staring into space. He'd been caught, but there was no way he was going to admit his guilt. As far as he was concerned, he was innocent to the things that Roman had done to Alex.

"She would have died, had she not had a backup in place to rescue her. Agents Gibbs and Callen went into Donetsk to trade with Roman for Agent Holden's life. Old aliases that she knew would get them into eastern Ukraine to rescue her, if she didn't arrive home by the set time she'd told Director Vance. You see, Green, her time there was under approval from the Director for the agency that you work for."

Kensi and Deeks eyes widened and looked over at each other. So that's why Vance pulled Callen away from L.A., in the first place. Small footsteps hardly made it to Deeks and Kensi's hearing, as Henrietta Lange entered the boat shed.

"Hetty." Both Deeks and Kensi felt like they had betrayed their boss, going behind her back for Granger.

"It's okay, Mr Deeks, Miss Blye. I know Granger has ordered you to follow Green, I only wished I had been kept in the loop." She sat with them and watched the interview, holding in her anger, as she heard about Callen going to Donetsk to rescue Alexandra Holden. For years she'd tried hard to keep him away from her, but now, her efforts had been futile. She pursed her lips together and held it in until she could speak with Owen. But as she listened, she knew this had gone above Owen and had come from Leon Vance himself. She sighed, annoyed that their Director refused to trust her when it came to her motives.

"So she's alive then. What's that got to do with me?" Green sneered over to Granger, annoyed.

"Sasha Malis." Owen Granger placed a photograph of the Ukrainian on the table. Detective Deeks and Agent Blye, caught the two of you together at a club tonight. Malis is a well known associate of Basara's. What did he want?"

"Dunno. Never met him before." He bored his eyes into Granger's. He was a stubborn one, Granger would get great joy pulling him apart. But the orders stood as they were from Vance. He could interrogate him, but it was left for someone else to pull him apart. Yet, he could think of many more who would line up behind them to take their turn.

"Do you really think that we're that stupid, Green?" He pulled out photo evidence of Green's dealing not only with Malis, but also Basara. His contacts in Russia had come through for him and they'd finally had the evidence that they needed to end Green for good.

Green furrowed his brow, anger surged through him and he wrestled his restraints as he looked at Granger. "Where did you get these? These have been altered, you're setting me up."

"Shall I bring Agent Holden in here to deal with you in person, because I know she would love to pull you apart, after what Basara did to her?" Owen folded his arms over his chest, pleased with himself.

"You lie. She has no proof either that I was ever there." His voice faltered and he looked up to the camera, thinking that Alex was out in the other room waiting for him.

"Oh, she's not here. Not yet anyway. You see, because of you, she's had to go into hiding, she's been given a new life with her husband and daughter. Oh, yes, you heard me right there, Green. She is married and has been for a real long time. And you know who to, don't you? I see it in your eyes, you're scared of him."

Hetty fisted her hands under the table, but hid her anger from Deeks and Kensi. She controlled her breathing to keep the anger from bubbling to the surface. So that's where Callen has been all of this time. Back with that Comescu. Hetty stood up and entered the interrogation room. "Owen."

"Now's not a good time, Henrietta." Owen growled, annoyed that she was there.

"I think now is the perfect time. He's not talking anyway." She stood firm and gave him the gorgon stare until he capitulated.

Owen Granger knew now that she was there, that she had heard him tell Green about Alex and Callen.

"How long have you known that Mr Callen was with Miss Holden?" She studied him as he formulated his reply.

"Since April of last year." He wasn't afraid of Hetty and he no longer cared that she'd found out.

"So you have known that Mr Callen was with Miss Holden for all of this time and not once did you think it wise to divulge this information to me?" Her eyes widened as she spoke.

"I was told not to tell you."

"By whom?"

"Agent Holden."

Hetty took a few deep breaths in and slowly released them, before continuing. "Do you know who she is?"

"Yes, I do. Agent Callen's wife, who you told not to follow him to Los Angeles, eleven years ago." He looked over and saw Deeks and Kensi look at each other with surprise. "You have a lot to answer for, Henrietta. Your boy, as you call him, is not your boy. He never was. He was Clara's son. Who gave you the right to screw up his life after Clara's death?" He'd kept his control for years over Callen, but now he found he could no longer hold it in.

"Screw his life up? Everything I've done for that boy was to keep him alive. To protect him from his fate of being killed by the Comescus. But instead, you have allowed him to be with her and deliberately hid it from me." Her anger surfaced and her voice raised across the room.

"Alex had no idea until last night that she was adopted, never mind that her mother was a Comescu. You had no right to keep them apart. You've got to stop manipulating people's lives. You should have told me about Callen once you had found him."

"Tell you? Why is that, Owen? So you and those at Langley could train him up to be an agent at their disposal?"

"Is that what you think of me, for all the years that we've known each other, you think that's what I wanted for Clara's son?"

Hetty narrowed her eyes and looked at him, confused. "You loved her." Realisation hit her immediately. How had she missed this?

"Of course I loved her, she was my best friend and my cousin." Deeks and Kensi felt they were front row to something that should have remained in private quarters. Granger was cousin to Callen's mom? No wonder why he tried so hard to ensure Callen remained safe.

"Your cousin?" Hetty's voice raised in pitch as surprised flashed through her. "You never said."

"If you had told me about Callen, I could have told you about the Callen family. My mother was George Callen's younger sister. After George died, Suzana fled to the states and she and Clara lived with us. We grew up more like brother and sister, than cousins. We even joined the CIA together."

Hetty sat down in the arm chair, the news that Owen had been Callen's family rocked her. "So if I had told your about him, he could have grown up with his family."

"Yes. Like Amy did."

"But she died."

"No she didn't. We faked her death, to keep her safe."

"Does Mr Callen know about any of this?"

"I've told him and he's met his father. Nikita only had an hour with him before Callen had to leave with his family."

"Does he know his name?"

"Yes. But I'll let him tell you that, once it's safe for his return." Owen sat down on the sofa, placing his hands on his knees. "But we have to deal with Green and Roman Basara and his men, before it will be safe for Callen and Alex to return.

Footsteps announced that they had company. Leon Vance entered the boat shed and felt the tension in the room. "Director." Deeks and Kensi stood to greet him.

Leon nodded and looked over to where Granger and Hetty sat. The look on their faces said it all. "Owen, Hetty. Does this mean that the two of you have talked?"

Owen stood and shook Leon's hand. "It does." He looked over to Deeks and Kensi. "You can leave now. Thanks for bringing Green in. See you on Monday."

Deeks shook his head as they climbed into the SUV. "Wow. That was the biggest of wowsers. Not only about Granger and Callen being related and that he has met his father, but that he's married to a Comescu. Did you hear that?"

"Yeah I did. Do you think that Callen knows who Alex is? It makes sense now as to why he's been away so long and why Vance pulled him to D.C. last year."

"And why Hetty was kept in the dark. She's done everything to keep Callen safe from the Comescus, only for him to marry one. Yeah, I can see why she's angry."

"And have a daughter with. I can't believe that Callen kept that from us. Do you think that Sam knows?" Kensi thought over Sam's behaviour.

"Yes. Remember when Hetty made us swap partners? I reckon that was when Sam found out about Green and what he'd done to Callen's wife. If makes sense as to why we saw Sam and Nell disappear into the burn room to talk too."

"Yes, I agree. Nell's known all this time. Hetty's not going to like this."

"I don't think Hetty knows about Nell." Deeks raised a brow, pondering. "Nell came here soon after I did, right?"

"Yes."

"How much longer after that did Granger appear?"

Kensi's eyes widened. "No. You don't think Granger planted Nell in here to spy on Hetty, do you?"

"None of us know for sure. But Hetty usually vets and chooses her own people. Nell was the perfect fit. What if Granger and Vance planted Nell for Hetty to choose. I mean, it would make sense all that running around that Nell does around the office. She would be the perfect mole."

"Nell, a mole?"

"For the Director of NCIS."

Kensi laughed.

"You think this is funny?"

"Listen to you, Deeks. I know that everyone is suspicious after the mole incident, but this is ridiculous. How could Nell be a mole for the Director?"

"Apparently, Eric told me that when we were all in Prague and Romania, Vance would only privy Nell to Hetty's file."

"Nell's seen Hetty's file?"

"Gathering intel for Granger and Vance. Didn't Granger just say that Alexandra Holden had only learned that she was adopted last night?"

Kensi furrowed her brow and thought for a moment. Back to Granger's interrogation with Green and his conversation with Hetty. "She could have learned that from her parents. We have no proof. No. I'm not buying it. Granger probably ordered Nell to work quietly on this other case, she works on other cases for different units all the time."

"Maybe." But Deeks was so sure that he was right. "Maybe I'll just have to ask her."


	22. Chapter 22

**Till Death Do Us Part**

_Disclaimer: NCISLA characters belong to Shane Brennan. All original characters and this story are mine._

* * *

**Chapter 22**

**Boat Shed**

Leon Vance looked over at Henrietta Lange as he sat opposite her. In the next room, Owen Granger was interviewing their rogue agent, Adam Green. "I need some answers from you, Henrietta."

"You need answers from me? I think I deserve answers from you, Leon. After sixteen months of being kept in the dark over where Mr Callen has been, only discover he's deep undercover with Agent Holden. When did you stop trusting me, Leon?"

Leon Vance shuffled in his chair, the woman before him had a reputation of making grown men quake wasn't far from the truth. "Okay, fair enough. What is it that you want to know?" If he wanted the truth from the older woman, then he'd play the game.

"Well for starters, why was I never told about where Mr Callen was sent to?"

"Agent Holden requested that you were kept in the dark."

"And you just listened to her?"

"You took her husband away and told her not to come to Los Angeles, Hetty. Now why would you split them up?"

"To protect him," Hetty huffed out her frustrations. "She's a Comescu, Leon. I needed to get him away from her before it was too late. I had no idea that they were married or had a daughter together."

"She was eighteen months old when her mother was murdered, she has no memory of her life before she came to live with the Holdens. Why would you think that she was a danger to Agent Callen?"

"Because it's in her blood. It's a Romani thing, Leon. You wouldn't understand. It doesn't matter who raises you, who you were born to be is much stronger."

"Nature versus nurture. However, I disagree with you. Alex hasn't shown any hatred towards Agent Callen, in fact, the complete opposite. She's put up with being abandoned while she pregnant with their daughter, until she decided enough was enough. For their daughter, she made the move for Callen to return. She accepted him, never stopped loving him and forgave him. Does that sound like a Comescu to you?"

Hetty shook her head. "No, it doesn't." She sighed and walked over to the kitchenette.

"Then why didn't you trust that Alex wouldn't hurt him?"

"Because her mother was sent to America to find Clara's children and to kill them. That's why I had to do what I did." Her hand shook, knowing it was too late now not to admit to her sins.

"You killed Calin Comescu to protect Agent Callen?" Leon had suspected, the moment Oscar had told him about Calin's murder.

"Yes." Her voice was barely a whisper. She turned to face the Director. "It was the hardest thing I had to do. Seeing the fear and tears in that baby's blue eyes when I killed her mother. She saw me do it, Leon. And I've lived with the guilt of my sins ever since. I kept an ear to the ground, followed the FBI's case from afar and found where Alexa ended up. I watched her grow into the beautiful woman that she now is, but I never expected her to become an NCIS agent and work alongside Mr Callen. It almost killed me to know how close she was to him. A Comescu. I offered him a job over here to keep a close watch over him. But he wanted me to offer her a position in the team as well. That was his condition. I had no idea that they were in love and married with a baby on the way." She sat back down, holding the tea cup in her hand. She inhaled the soothing beverage and sipped it's contents. "I was too late. Too late to prevent this."

"Why has it meant so much to you to protect Agent Callen?" They still hadn't found out who she really was, but she'd slipped up moments earlier about it being a Romani thing. That he wouldn't understand.

"I failed to protect their mother. Clara was so much like her mother, Suzana. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw her at Langley. We became friends and I was assigned as her handler for her operation in Romania. Orders prevented me from getting them out of Constanta before the Comescus killed her. I still have no idea how Mr Callen and his sister made it to America. It was two years later, when I found a very scared boy in an orphanage, too afraid to talk."

"You knew Clara Callen's mother?"

Hetty nodded. "Before Suzana married George Callen, she used to take care of me when I was growing up. She was fifteen years older than me and we lived in the same town. Everyone feared the Comescus, but Suzana didn't. She was kind to me when everyone else feared to be near me. I hated my family and who I was. George Callen killed my father, I should have hated all the Callens. But George loved Suzana and so did I. And when Clara was born, I used to sneak over there and play with her. She was the most beautiful baby I had ever seen. And so happy. After my older brother killed George, I ran away. I learned to speak English and changed my name and came to America."

"That's why you bear the Romani wheel tattoo on your arm. You are a Comescu."

Anger surged through her body at the reminder. "I've tried for Suzana and Clara, to make up for what my family did to their family. They didn't deserve to die. I've made it my life's work to protect who was left."

"Agent Callen and his sister."

"Yes."

"That's why you went to Prague and Romania to protect Callen back in 2011."

"Yes. But Alexa had no idea who I was. I didn't think that I had changed that much. I was her cousin. Familia. I showed her the tattoo, but she didn't believe me."

"That's why she shot you."

"Yes."

"Why didn't you just sit Agent Callen down and explain this to him?"

"How could I? I'm the enemy."

"So is Alex, as far as her blood goes, but that doesn't make her the enemy, Hetty. What is your real name?"

"Erika Carmen Comescu. Born a Comescu, but I have hated them for what they did to the Callen family. I denied my birthright and forged a new life in a new country."

"United States of America."

Hetty nodded.

"That's how you knew about Calin Comescu's orders to find the Callen children and kill them."

"Yes."

Leon sat back in the chair and thought over the situation. As far as he could see, Alex and Hetty were related. Calin Comescu was Hetty's cousin. The relationship between Hetty and Alex was the same as Granger's to Callen. He rubbed his hand over his face before looking over to Hetty. "I think we need you to tell this to both Callen and Alex. They need to hear this from you. It's the only way for you all to move forward."

"How can I tell her that I killed her mother?"

"She'll understand that you had to do what you did. Being the mother of two Callen children will provide Alex with the understanding on what one must do to protect them. Her children are at threat by her own blood. Think about how she must be feeling, Henrietta? She only found out last night that she was adopted and that her mother was a Comescu. Enemy to the Callens. She will need your support that she's not like the rest of her family."

"I don't know if I can, Leon. To look her in the eye and tell her what I did."

A creak on the floor notified them to the intruder. Leon and Hetty turned to look at who had entered the boat shed undetected. The figure moved out from the shadows, tears falling down his face from hearing the truth about what happened and why she had done what she had.

Hetty stood up and walked over towards him. "Mr Callen, I almost didn't recognise you." It was that lost look that gave him away, tearing pieces from her heart.

"You should have told me, Hetty. I trusted you with my life. With everything. But because you didn't trust me with the truth, I've lost ten years with my wife and daughter that I can never get back. I don't know if I can ever trust you again, or forgive you." Callen stayed where he was, where it was safe to bolt if he needed to.

"Agent Callen, why are you here?" Leon walked over to close the distance.

"I need to see him. Green. Where is he?" At that same time, Owen Granger's voice echoed through the building from his raised voice. Callen moved over to the screen and watched Owen interrogate Green. He went to go in, but Vance stopped him. "He almost killed my wife, Vance. You know how that feels."

Straight to the heart, he went. Leon Vance nodded and allowed Callen access.

"You should have stopped him, Leon."

"He's right, Hetty. I know exactly what that feels like." Hetty gently placed her hand on his arm, knowing too well what he'd been through.

The door pushed open and Owen was surprised to see Callen enter the room. "Agent Callen…"

Callen hauled Green from off the chair and pushed him against the wall. "You are the scum of the earth, you don't deserve to live another day on this planet."

"Agent Callen." Owen Granger pulled Callen from off Green. "This isn't the way to get justice."

Callen's eyes glared at Green, his jaw tensed and every muscle under the skin pulled tight. "What about justice for Alex? Doesn't she have the right to feel safe? That will never happen as long as this bastard is alive." Callen punched Green in the stomach, watching him curl up from pain and stepped away.

"You shouldn't be in here."

"Vance gave me permission. I have the right to be here." He leaned back against the wall as Granger assisted Green back into the chair.

"You saw what he did to me, he assaulted me."

"Shut up, Green, or I'll let him loose on you again," Owen Granger growled. "You lost your rights when you burned Agent Holden and killed Sandra Duncan." Granger saw the look of surprise in his eyes. "Don't look shocked, Green. Who do you think called LAPD to break into her house and found her dead body? Me, that's right. You've been living free on borrowed time, Green. We have all the evidence to put you away for a real long time. You have two choices. Shut up and accept the consequences for your actions, or you spill your guts and tell us what we want to know."

Callen's eyes widened over the news that Green had killed a woman under their watch.

"How did you know?"

"You were found on video footage from neighbouring houses, leaving Sandra Duncan's house. Then you asked for a new vehicle, stating that your newly issued one had broken down on you. You were sent to L.A. to be watched closely, it didn't take us long to watch you slip up."

"It was an accident."

"If it was an accident, you should have called it in."

"I was drunk and I had no idea what had happened until I woke up the next morning. I panicked."

"Oh that would go down well in court. A Federal Agent panicked, but managed to clean the crime scene." Owen shook his head. "We've got a record of all the dealings that you've made in eastern Europe, especially with Roman Basara." Owen pushed a notepad over to him. "Write it all down." He stood up to leave and urged Callen to come with him.

Callen fisted his hands, trying to resist the urge to punch Green again. He'd listened to all that Granger had on him and with the knowledge that Green was going away for a long time, he followed Granger out the door.

"Do you feel any better, Callen?" Owen turned and faced him.

"Knowing that he's going away for a long time, gives me some peace of mind." Callen poured his own cup of tea and sat down at the table. He stared into the dainty cup that reminded him so much of Hetty. He looked up and caught her gaze. He said nothing to her, but the look he gave her said a thousand words. He turned his attention to Vance and Granger, ignoring her.

"Is it safe for us to come home yet?"

"No." Owen Granger handed Callen another file. "Unfortunately, Roman Basara has been looking for Alex, Gibbs and yourself. He's not happy about the microchips you traded with him." He pulled out his cell and pressed play. "Deeks and Blye recorded this earlier tonight at a club. A known associate of Basara's met Green there. Sasha Malis. Green identified you and Gibbs as Federal Agents for NCIS. All three of your identities have now been burned by Green."

Callen rushed from the room and barged into the interrogation room and punched Green on the jaw. "You think you can get away for burning three agents to terrorists. You are no better than them. I'm requesting that you get sent to Guantanamo. You work with terrorists, you get the same deal."

Owen Granger and Leon Vance moved in behind Callen, remaining in the doorway when they saw that was all that Callen was going to do to Green. Callen was angry, but he wasn't rogue. Both men felt that Green had gotten off lightly from Callen, but they knew the younger man was using all of his self control to rein in his emotions.


	23. Chapter 23

**Till Death Do Us Part**

_Disclaimer: NCISLA characters belong to Shane Brennan. All original characters and this story are mine._

* * *

**Chapter 23**

**Los Angeles**

It didn't take long for word to get out that G. Callen was in Los Angeles. He sat at Sam's desk and stared at his old one. It was contaminated as far as he was concerned. He heard quick steps and turned to see Nell enter.

"Callen, why are you here? Is everything okay?" She hugged him and looked worried over at him.

"My old desk needs to be burned after having Green sit there for the past year or so." He hesitated as he broke a pencil in his hand. "I saw him, Nell. Gave him a few punches. But it didn't help the anger nor the frustrations I feel."

"You saw Green? You've been in the boat shed? Have you seen Hetty?" Word that Hetty had found out about Deeks and Kensi arresting Green had reached her.

Callen nodded. "I don't know if I'll ever be able to trust her again, Nell. She's been the one constant in my life, but I feel betrayed. I'm lost again. I have this amazing family, a beautiful wife whose been through hell, and two beautiful children. Samuel, he's so perfect. Yet, I feel lost."

"Sam called me and told me. Congratulations, Gav." She tested out his real name and noted how much it suited him. "So why are you here in L.A.?"

"I needed to see Green. I came to kill him." He looked up at her in pain. "But I couldn't do it. I couldn't kill the one man who'd burned my wife."

"That's because you're a good man. A family man, who'd do anything to protect his family. If you had killed Green, they would have locked you away, not Green. He would have gotten off scot free, he needs to suffer."

"I know. I realised that. I told him that I'm requesting that he goes to Guantanamo."

"You can do that?"

"I've spoken to Vance and he agrees with me. He's too much of a risk to us all. He's burned Gibbs and me to a Sasha Malis now. You know who he is?"

Nell nodded. "I found information that Malis was in the States."

"I can't come home yet, Nell. Wherever home is. I don't know where we belong? Washington or here." A tear fell and he quickly wiped it away. "I need my family to be safe, but how can I when I've got to hide away with them? We're all in danger, not just from Basara and his men, but also from the remainder of the Comescus. But how do I determine which of them is a threat? Not all of them are after us. Hunter said that Elena Vadim wanted nothing to do with her family. Could you look for her and make contact with her please? Alex wants to meet her. Also, find out if her father is still alive. Dimitri Vadim. He took Elena away from the family, we need proof that he's not bad like the Comescus."

"I will search for them. You and Alex will figure it out on where home will be for the four of you. Washington may be too much pain and too high of a risk in Basara finding you there. But then again, it's where the two of you met and fell in love." She sighed, if only she could have what they have.

"You're a good friend, Nell. I can't thank you enough for all that you've done for us over the past year, and before that. I know it must have been hard for you keeping all of those secrets."

"It is what it is. I'm good at what I do, Vance and Granger utilised me well. I enjoy working here. Everyone's become family. It's nice."

"What about your life before you came here?" He'd never had the opportunity to find out more about her.

"Let's just say, the timing of moving west was perfect for me." Memories of what she had left behind flashed before her. Going home from time to time was necessary to keep her family happy, but that didn't mean that she wanted to go back to her old life.

"A bad break up with your old boyfriend?"

"Nothing escapes you, does it?"

Callen stood and leaned on Sam's desk, facing her. "You know we're all a family here. We'd do anything to protect you, like you would for the rest of us. Tell me why you always cover yourself up, Nell? What did he do to you?" She stared into his blue eyes, he had removed his contacts, she noted. She saw his sincerity and gentleness, like she seen him be with Alex and Katie. He really was a rare gem.

She shook her head and faced away, trying to keep it together. He gently placed his hand on her arm, urging her to not run away. He cared about her and he wanted to be there for her, like she had for him and his family.

"Nell?"

"Alex is one lucky woman to have you in her life. Not all guys are as loving as you." She furrowed her brow and tensed her jaw. "It's why I became an agent. I refused to be a victim again." Her breathing hitched and with all her strength, she removed her cardigan.

Callen reined in the anger that surged through him, the scars up her arms shocked him. "How, why.. oh, Nell, I'm so sorry." He pulled her in and held her in his arms, protected.

"It's okay, Gav. I'm safe now. I have been for a long time. We met in College and at first I enjoyed the attention and the flowers. But then he became possessive and threatened any guy who'd even look at me, let alone talk to me. He was thrown out after he'd knifed a guy, because he helped me with my car when the battery died. It got out of hand and I broke it off with him. I thought it was over and I'd moved on. I met Steve, he was the nicest guy. But Kendall found out and punched him until he was unconscious. The cops arrested him, but his rich parents got him out on bail. That's when…when he came after me. Attacked me with a knife and burned my skin with a cigar."

Callen gently traced the burn scars on her arms and the straight lines from the knife. "What happened then?"

"I shot him. My brother, Dan, was worried about me. He bought me a gun, told me never to go anywhere without it. I killed him in self defence. I had witnesses and with his history of attacking Steve and another guy and the state of my arms and legs, the cops were great. But I had to endure hate letters from his family and friends. I left college, moved to D.C. and enrolled in FLETC. I topped my class and was assigned in Argentina."

"That's when you did your research on Argentina and became a field agent."

Nell nodded.

"I wish I had known you as a field agent. I know we've had you out with us on occasions, but we didn't know how capable you were. You're great at undercover work, I'll give you credit for that. You had me fooled."

"And nothing get's passed you, huh!" She tilted her head and gave him a smug smile. "Better yet, I've managed to stay under the radar with Hetty. That is a defeat in it's self."

"Yeah it is. You'll go down in NCIS history as the agent who fooled the infamous Henrietta Lange." Nell laughed at his joke. It was good to laugh after what they'd been talking about.

"Thanks, Gav. I needed that."

"Me too." He took in a deep breath and breathed it out slowly. "I miss this place and the people. But I don't for one second, regret being with Alex and Katie. They make me a better person, you know. I'm no longer the lone wolf, as Sam calls me. I'm the chief lion of the pride."

"Well if you grow your hair any longer and didn't trim that beard of yours so much, yeah, I could see you as a lion. You and Deeks could go undercover together as Shaggy 1 and Shaggy 2."

"Deeks would have a field day with this hair, wouldn't he?"

"Yes he would. And I am. Wow, Callen. That hair. Can I touch it?" Marty Deeks and Kensi Blye entered the bull pen after listening in to their conversation.

"No you can't touch it, Deeks." Callen moved away to prevent Deeks from handling his hair. "That's it, I'm having it cut off. Back to being short again."

"But your cover needs you to look different. Then there's the threat from Basara." Nell worried over Callen. "You can't change that look. Besides, I know a certain woman who would love for you to stay that way."

"Alex? No. She liked me the old way." He shrugged. "I suppose I better get back before she misses me."

"Your wife?" Kensi and Deeks had listened to that part of the conversation between Granger and Green.

"Yes. I'm sorry that you've been kept in the dark, but this has become very complicated. Alex and I used to work together under Gibbs in D.C. We were like the two of you. We tried to pretend there was nothing there between us, so we got hitched in Paris while on an assignment. We were happy until I left for L.A." He looked directly at Deeks as he continued. "Don't ever leave her. It'll be the biggest mistake you'll ever make. I've lost ten years of not being with my wife and daughter, I can never get those years back."

Deeks nodded and understood the guilt raging through him. "I won't."

Callen turned to Kensi and studied her for a moment. "Go easy on Nell. She was just doing what she was told to do from Vance and Granger. Protect her from Hetty, make sure she doesn't lash out at her, she was doing it to protect me. Okay?"

Kensi narrowed her eyes and then glanced over at Deeks. He'd been right again. His detective skills are still sharp and she should really take more notice of his gut, when he knows something isn't right. "We will." She watched Nell slide her ams back into the cardigan and stopped her. "I'm sorry, we overheard your conversation. We won't tell anyone. I'm glad you got him, Nell." Her gut clenched tight, after all their girls nights out, not once had she known why her friend covered up so much.

"Thanks, I appreciate it." Kensi hugged her, thankful that she survived what could have resulted in her death. "I'd love to have you as my partner sometime too."

"Me too. Although, I know we've already been partners, but I would love for you to be my partner again." Deeks added.

"You'll have to fight me for her." Sam Hanna waltzed into the bull pen and hugged Nell. "You should have called me about Green."

"What about Green?" Callen looked between Sam and Nell, confused.

"Hetty caught him breaking into Nell's apartment last night," Deeks blabbed.

"He did what?" Callen looked over at Nell with concern. "Did he hurt you?"

"You can all stop worrying." She sighed. "I was at Eric's at the time. Hetty was looking for Sam and she was somehow outside my apartment when she spotted Green breaking in. She called LAPD to scare him off." She turned and looked at Sam. "I think Hetty suspects we're up to something."

"She knows. She heard Granger talking with Green, she knows about Callen."

"But she didn't know that Mr Hanna and Miss Jones were read in on Mr Callen's whereabouts." They all turned around and found their formidable Operations Manager standing by the screen, giving them the gorgon stare.

"Hetty, you can't punish them for doing their job. Nell was on orders to not tell anyone where I was. Sam only found out later last year when Nell's car was in the garage and Granger had been poisoned. She needed Sam and he was told he had to keep it quiet. Not even Michelle knows." Callen stood between his team and Hetty with his arms crossed over his chest.

"You and I need to talk, Mr Callen." She was not going to do it in front of everyone, she headed over to her office expecting him to follow.

Callen raised his brow at Sam, he knew this was going to be one hard talk. From both sides. Nell gave his hand a squeeze before he followed.

G. Callen wasn't surprised to find her brewing a pot of tea. He sat down and waited for her until she was ready to talk with him. How long had he wanted his time with Hetty to talk to her? He wanted answers and now he'd got them. Well, some of them.

"Mr Callen. How long have you known me?" He watched her pour out the brew and took the cup and saucer, as she handed them over to him.

"Since I was seven."

"You were small for your age, skinny to the bone and too afraid to talk. No one knew your name. After time, you forgot it yourself and you grew up as G. Callen. Do you remember when I came to find you a family?"

"I do. The Stricklands. They were nice, until I got moved again. Why was I moved so much?"

"Mr Strickland lost his job, they couldn't keep you. You were with them for two months and you began to talk and gain confidence. I remember the first smile you gave me when I came to visit you there. Only after two weeks, you'd settled in nicely. Then I tried to find you another family."

"The Wallaces. Another nice family. But I only stayed for six weeks. What happened there?"

"You don't remember?"

Callen shook his head. "No, I don't."

Mrs Wallace was seriously injured in a car accident. You managed to come out with just a broken arm."

Callen knitted his brows together. "I remember the plaster on my arm, but I have no memory of how it happened."

"You also suffered a bit of concussion. Your next family were the Hannas."

"Sam's family?" Hetty nodded. "Sam did such a great job looking after you while your arm was in plaster, I knew he would be the perfect partner and brother for you."

"But I was only there for ten weeks."

"Yes. Unfortunately, the problem with families in the military is that sometimes when one of the parents were assigned overseas, the whole family went with them. The Hannas moved to Saudia Arabia for two years. They couldn't take you with them. They tried, I tell you that. They would have adopted you, if…"

"I was the same colour as them."

Hetty sighed. "Unfortunately, back then that was the way it was. But you were happy with them and you looked up to Sam as your big brother."

"I had just settled there and the plaster was taken off, but when I came home from school, my social worker was waiting for me while Mrs Hanna packed. I remember her crying." He turned and looked over to his partner. "Do you think Sam remembers me?"

"He does." Hetty gave him a warm smile.

"How come he's never said anything?"

"He knew how many times you'd moved since then, he didn't want to make it more painful for you."

"I know not all the foster families were bad, Hetty. And I know that you tried your best to get me out of the bad ones as soon as you knew something wasn't right. But thirty-seven is a lot of homes."

"I know, Mr Callen. And I am sorry for the pain you suffered and for not talking to Owen about you. I had no idea that he was family. However, I cannot undo the past, but you have to know that I had to hide you from the Comescus."

"But you are Comescu. I heard you tell Vance that you were Erika Comescu. Cousin to Alexa and Calin Comescu."

"I'm not proud of my family, Mr Callen. I've tried hard to forget that's who I am and I have worked against them in every way possible to keep you safe from them."

"You killed Alex's mother."

"Yes, I did. My own cousin. But we weren't close. It was your grandmother, Suzana Callen, who changed my life. Everyone was afraid of our family, but she wasn't. She looked after me when I was young, it was too much for my mother to deal with all of us after my father died."

"You mean when my grandfather killed him."

Hetty sighed. "I know our families haven't had the greatest record of getting along, Mr Callen. But I loved your grandmother, like a big sister. After she married your grandfather, I would sneak over there and play with your mother. Clara was the happiest and most beautiful baby I had ever set eyes on. I wanted to live with them. It was the happiest time of my life back then, when I was with your grandmother and mother.'

"Until your brother killed my grandfather."

"I ran away after that. Learned the English language and found my way across to America. I had no idea where Suzana and Clara were until I met your mother at Langley. We clicked and became friends." She looked over to him and leaned forward, her hand over his. "I'm sorry, about not saving your mother, Mr Callen."

"You already apologised, Hetty. I want to know why you kept Alex and I apart? Why you didn't trust her to be around me?"

"It's a Romani thing, Mr Callen. We feel things from our family, no matter how hard we try to fight it."

"Alex doesn't remember her family. She was a baby, for goodness sake. As far as she is concerned, she was Alexandra Holden and is now a Callen. This is tearing her apart. The stress led her to go into early labour. She can't be blamed for a family she doesn't know." His voice raised in pitch and in volume from anger. "Do you want to kill me?"

"Of course not." Her brow furrowed in annoyance. After all she'd done for him, why would he think that of her?

"But you are Comescu. You've lived with them for years and years, listened to their hatred for my family. Why don't you hate me and want me dead?"

"Because I loved your grandmother and she loved me. She was my friend."

"Then you need to tell Alex that she's not an enemy, that she's not going to wake up in the middle of the night and have this sudden urge to kill me and our children."

"She won't. I haven't in all the years I've known you and you have been a handful over the years."

"Then come with me and meet our children. Katie's ten and looks just like me. Samuel, he's…" he looked at his watch, "seven hours old, born eight weeks early and is being watched in neonatal care." His eyes welled up from emotion. "They are blood to you, Hetty. Your cousin's grandchildren. You are the only one I know who wouldn't harm them. That's my trust in you that you have earned over the years. I need you to trust Alex. Please."

He knew why it mattered to him so much. Although he didn't like what she'd done, her motives had been honourable. He just wished Hetty had been honest with him about the Comescus and about Alex. How different his life could have been had he known the truth. "But you've got to stop keeping secrets from me. I can't deal with all this secret keeping that you've been doing."

"Very well, Mr Callen." Her smile returned to her face and he noticed the glistening in her eyes.

He'd touched her heart a long time ago and she in turn had done the same with him. No matter how angry he got about what she'd done, he couldn't punish her for long. She'd aged since he'd seen her last and it worried him, just how much longer she'd be around. He always thought that she'd outlive him. But now that he had so much to live for and he saw the strains on her face from the job, he doubted that would now be the case.


	24. Chapter 24

**Till Death Do Us Part**

_Disclaimer: NCISLA characters belong to Shane Brennan. All original characters and this story are mine._

* * *

**Chapter 24**

**Santa Barbara**

Gibbs and Oscar pulled up into the driveway of the Sheers' home. When they rang the doorbell, they were surprised when no one answered. Gibbs pulled out his burn phone and dialled Callen's current number, but still no answer. He tried Alex's and relaxed when she picked up.

"Well hello there, sunshine, where are you all?"

"You're here?" Alex's face brightened hearing her old friend's voice.

"No. I'm still back east but thought I would peek in to see if you're home. Of course I'm here. I have a surprise for you? Where are you?"

"Just down the road at the Cottage hospital. Samuel came early."

"Is everything okay?" He kept his facial expressions neutral, he didn't want to alarm Oscar incase there was a problem.

"He's fine. I've just gone down to the neonatal unit and fed him. Come on over. Is Tom not at home? I thought he'd be in here by now. Perhaps he's on his way."

"Not from what I can see. See you in a few." He turned and patted Oscar on the back. "Come with me."

Oscar followed Gibbs back to the car and buckled in. It was only a short five minutes drive and he looked over to Gibbs with concern, but Jethro had a smile on his face. "What's going on?"

"Let's go and see."

Alex met them at the entrance and she shrieked out with delight and wrapped her arms around her father. "Dad. It's so good to see you. I've missed you all so much."

"We've missed you too, sweetheart. What's going on?" He looked at her closely and his face brightened. "The baby, he's come already?"

Alex nodded. "Eight weeks early, but he's doing fine. Breathing on his own and feeding well. Come and meet your grandson." She hugged Gibbs and wrapped her arms around the two of them. "You're timing is perfect."

"Tom hasn't come yet?" Gibbs looked around for Callen but he couldn't see him.

"No." Alex's mind wondered for a moment as she tried to think of where Callen was. There was no way he would desert them now, but worry over where he could be began to fester. "Perhaps he's gone to pick up K.. Phoebe, to bring her to meet her brother." Luckily she remembered her daughter's alias before she slipped up.

"Gibbs and Oscar nodded, not thinking anything of it."

**Los Angeles**

The stream of light that peeped through the curtains awoke Callen from his sleep. He bolted upright and looked around to see where he was. Hetty's. How had she persuaded him to come here and not go back to Santa Barbara? He quickly dressed and ran down the stairs, coming to a halt in the kitchen. Hetty had made a huge breakfast for him, like she had done when he was as a kid. There were times when Hetty had brought him back to her house to give him a break from living with strangers.

"Hetty, I appreciate the effort, but I've got to get back before Alex starts worrying about me."

"For the road, Mr Callen. Please take a seat."

He sighed for a moment before sitting down and he tucked into the huge cooked breakfast that she had prepared for him. "Sam's not going to like you cooking all of this for me, you know, Hetty. It's not good for my health."

"Sam's right here and he's hoping there's still some left for him." His partner sat down beside him and tucked in.

"You've returned to referring to yourself in the third person, Sam. This isn't good."

"Huh! You think you're funny, G. Now, we've got I'd say thirty minutes before we head off."

"What about Michelle and Kamran? Look, Sam. I miss you, don't get me wrong. But family is important."

"You are my family, G. It's important that you remember that too." He looked over to Hetty, who was brewing a pot of tea. "So Hetty, have you agreed to G's request?"

Hetty pursed her lips before she joined them at the table. "Hmm! I'm thinking about it. I've had a lengthy discussion with Director Vance during the early hours of this morning and he's agreed to bring me up tomorrow. We decided it was important for the Callens to have some time on their own before the rest of us bombard them."

"What, everyone's coming up?" Callen looked up surprised. He hadn't expected that.

"We are a family, are we not, Mr Callen?"

"Well, yes, we are."

"Good. Then that's settled." She sipped from her cup and ate her porridge.

"So you're agreeing to what I asked for then? For you to talk to Alex and help her through dealing with this news about her mother being a Comescu?"

"Yes, I have. I have to face the music at some point, I suppose. But if she tells me to leave, there's nothing that I can do but to do as she says."

Callen heaved out a heavy sigh. He knew what Alex thought about Hetty after taking him away from her. He doubted that Alex would accept Hetty in their lives and he needed Hetty to be persistent, to help her get through this. He also hoped that Nell had found Elena and her father, so they could make contact. But it was complex, seeing that they were living undercover as Tom and Kelly Sheers. But it might work as he thought about a solution. It would help keep it safe that he was a Callen, if Elena and their father knew him as Tom Sheers. Yes, he decided, that would be the safest route forward. He pulled out his cell and walked out into the garden. The roses were in full bloom along with all the other flowers that Hetty'd planted in her garden. The fragrances were intoxicating.

"Nell, hi. Have you found them?"

Nell smiled as she continued typing away on her computer. Her basement was a similar size to Ops at OSP, but it felt huge being in there on her own. "Elena is in Argentina. She's married to a local winemaker, a Santino Alvarez. He owns the Santino Valle Viñedo. He's won numerous awards, locally and internationally, for his Shiraz and Cabinet Sauvignon. They have four sons, Daniel, Valentine, Andres and Luis. From what I can see, they've had no contact with the Comescus or any crime family in Argentina or anywhere else in South America. The family is clean. He's from a long line of winemakers, his father still runs the Alvarez Viñedo, twenty miles away."

"That's good, Nell. Thanks. Is there anyway you can arrange for them to visit us? It will be a while before Alex could travel, Samuel's going to be in hospital for a few more weeks. He'll still be too young to make the trip, even after he's been discharged."

"I could fly down there and talk with Elena in person, she might come if I tell her that I've found her baby sister."

"I don't want you travelling down there on your own, Nell. I know you've lived there in the past, but you still need back up." He thought over it for a moment and looked at his eager partner inside, laughing with Hetty. A joke about him, probably. He was used to being the butt of his partner's jokes. It was what made them close, he supposed. He never had the experience of having a brother before Sam came into his life. "Take Sam with you. He's eager to help."

"You sure Hetty will spare him?"

"I don't think Hetty's in a position to refuse. I'll talk it over with the both of them."

"You're still here in Los Angeles?"

"Yes. I know, I was going to head back during the night, but she persuaded me to sleep before I did. And then I slept in and I found her cooking me breakfast. I couldn't just leave."

"You better call Alex. She'll be worried."

"I know, but I left my phone back home. Can you call her and tell her that we're working on finding her sister for me? She'll relax when she knows what we're working on."

"Not a problem, Gav. Just another thing. I've tried to find Alex's real father, Dimitri Vadim. Every search has come up blank."

"Book two seats to Argentina, perhaps Elena can tell you where their father is."

"Good thinking." Nell mulled over her plans in her head. "What should I tell Elena, when we get there?"

"Tell her what you tell your family, that you work for a television station and that you have been looking into unsolved murders. Tell her that you think that you've found her baby sister. Use our alias, Tom and Kelly Sheers. It will be safer this way, just in case she reacts to the Callen name."

"Good idea." A plan formed inside Nell's mind on how she was going to approach this trip.

"Thanks, Nell."

"Be safe, Gav. Remember that Basara's looking for you."

"Let him come, Nell. I'll put a bullet into his skull. After what he did to Alex, it'll be my right to kill him."

"Just make sure you don't get a bullet in yourself in the meantime. Alex and your children need you alive. We all do."

"I know. Thanks, Nell." Callen disconnected the call and walked back inside.

"What's up, G?" Sam looked up at his partner, expectantly.

"I need you to do something for me."

"Anything."

"It requires you to fly to Argentina."

"No." Hetty stood up and shook her head. "You are not going to make contact with Elena Vadim."

"It's not your decision, Hetty. Alex wants to see her sister. She has the right."

"I beg to differ. Mr Callen, you really must start trusting me, when I tell you that it's dangerous to make contact with anyone from the family."

"Hunter told me that Elena wanted nothing to do with her mother's family. Alex needs to know that she's not a bad person. That's why you will come up tomorrow with Vance and you will tell her that you are familia and that she, like you, will do everything in her power to keep me and our children safe from the Comescus."

"I can't guarantee that our meeting will go down well, Mr Callen. She must hate me after I took you away from her."

"Once she knows your reasons, she will come round. Trust me, Hetty. Isn't it time the trust went both ways?" She knew he had a point, but fear still overruled her decisions.

"I still think it's dangerous. If word got out to the rest of the family that Alex is alive and is married to a Callen, all of you will be at risk."

"We already are at risk, Hetty. I've thought about this. We're currently living under aliases. No one will know that we're Callens."

"What if someone in Romania found out, they'd only need to take one look at you and know who you are?"

"What with my brown eyes and dark hair? Do I really look like me in this guise, Hetty?"

Hetty sighed. "You're going ahead with this no matter what, aren't you?"

"Elena hasn't seen her family in a real long time. No one in Romania will find out. They thought Hunter was Elena, they have no idea where she's living."

"I still don't like it."

Callen turned to Sam. "Would you go with Nell and talk with Elena in person? Alex can't go down there with Samuel being so small, but you could convince her to come here."

Sam furrowed his brow as he thought over Callen's proposition. "Okay, G. I'll go."

"Thanks." Callen's face brightened. "I better head back. Nell was contacting Alex so she won't worry. She'll contact you with the details, Sam."

"Hetty?" Callen turned to her and he saw the concern etched in her eyes. "It's going to be okay. We'll be fine. See you tomorrow."

Hetty nodded. "Stay safe, Mr Callen."

She watched him leave, his partner stood out front, waving him off. "I suppose I better start trusting you, Mr Callen. After all, you are the best at what you do," she voiced out loud to herself.

**Santa Barbara**

Callen entered the Cottage hospital with Katie beside him. He held her hand in his as they pressed the elevator button. They both wore huge grins on their faces, Katie couldn't wait to meet her brother. It had come as a surprise that he'd come so early, but she was reassured that he was doing well.

They exited onto the floor where the neonatal unit was and they looked through the glass. Surprise crossed both of their faces when they saw Gibbs and Oscar inside with Alex.

"Grandpa." Katie ran over to Oscar, who lifted her up into his arms.

"Hey pumpkin. Wow, you've grown so big." He studied her features and shook his head. "Living out here suits you. You're glowing and growing like anything."

"I miss you and Grandma though."

"We've missed you too." He put her back down on her own two feet and observed how tall she'd become. Katie had grown so much over the past year and she'd also lost the young kid look. It saddened Oscar that they had missed this change in her. Before long, she'll be a teenager and she won't care for him anymore. Her friends and boys will take over what's important in her life. Memories when Alex got to that stage flashed before him and he knew that life was passing him by, much too fast.

Katie looked over at the small bundle in her mother's arms. She walked over to her mom and looked down at her brother. "He's so tiny."

"Would you like to hold your brother, sweetheart?"

Katie's eyes widened and she nodded. "Would I ever." She sat down on the seat next to her mom and gently took hold of her baby brother. He was perfect in every way. Blond hair and when Samuel opened his eyes, his matching cerulean eyes stared back at her. Katie looked up at her father and saw a tear escape from his eyes. "His eyes are like…" She stopped in mid sentence and remembered how her father and her eyes had coloured contacts in them to hide their trade mark colour.

"They're beautiful eyes," Alex continued for her. "I wonder where he gets them from?" There was no doubt, they were the vivid blue that reminded her of a summer's day, just like Callen's and Katie's.

Callen pulled Alex into a hug and kissed her warmly on the lips. "Did you get Nell's message?"

"I did. Why did you go down there?" She studied his eyes, he was good at hiding things, but now she saw that he was an open book to her. He might be a great agent, but as her husband, he had learned to let her in.

"We'll talk about it later." He looked down at their children and Alex knew then that whatever it was that was going on in his thoughts, it wasn't the time to talk about it.

It was dinner time before Alex and Callen had a moment to themselves. Oscar and Gibbs took Katie out for dinner, to give them some time alone.

They sat on Alex's bed alone with the door closed. "Okay, G. It's time for you to tell me what's going on in that head of yours."

"Ally, you know that you mean the world to me. I might have failed you in the past but I want to make it up to you. To help you get through this latest news about who you are."

"So you went to L.A.? You could have talked to Nell on the phone, you didn't need to go there in person." She studied him for a moment and she saw that he hid something from her. "G, you're hiding something from me."

Callen stood up and he looked out of the window. The sun was lowering in the west, and the sky was a glorious gold and pink. "I needed to make you safe. Your nightmares returned the other night and I needed to make it go away."

"So you went hunting for Green? G. Callen, you shouldn't have gone. What if something happened to you? To us, while you were away?"

He turned and faced her. "I went to kill him, Al. But I couldn't."

She furrowed her brow, "what happened?"

"When I got there, Vance was talking to Hetty in the boat shed. I hid in the shadows and I heard everything. I know who she really is and why she tried to keep us apart."

"Well that's obvious why she did. I'm the enemy."

"No, you're not. You are my wife, the love of my life. If you were, there would be no way that you would have married me and given me two beautiful children. You are more Holden than Vadim. And definitely not Comescu. And we don't even know anything about your father, but I do know that he took your sister away from the family and she wants nothing to do with them. That tells me that you're not the enemy."

"Who is she?" Alex stiffened her body, she had wanted to know why Callen meant so much to the older woman. Fear for their family grew within her.

"She was a Erika Comescu, cousin to Calin," he admitted. "But she's turned her back on her family a long time ago and she has tried hard to make up for the evil that her family has done to mine. She means well, Alex. Everything that she's done, has been to keep me safe."

"I've spoken to my father and he's told me that my mother was murdered and they still haven't found who killed her." Alex knitted her brows together as sorrow for the mother she didn't remember wash through her. "Dad told me that I was found crying beside my mother's body. I was eighteen months old, G." She took in a ragged breath, her emotions getting the better of her. "That's when he took me in and arranged for a closed adoption to keep me safe."

Alex saw the look in Callen's eyes. "You knew?"

"I only just found out."

"Hetty, she killed my mother?" Alex's breathing hitched and panic ensued her. "Is she going to kill me too?"

Callen pulled her in for a hug. "No. Ally, look at me." He held her face in his hands. "I've spoken to her. She means you no harm."

"She took you away from me, G. She's already done me harm." Her eyes welled up in tears, her nightmare was returning. Not the one that's kept her awake at night since March last year, but a different one. That Henrietta Lange would take her husband away from her again.

"Ally, do you trust me?" He looked deep into her eyes, he saw her fear and it pained him.

"You know I do, G. But I can never trust Hetty."

"You need to, Al. To trust her with your life and that of our children's."

"I don't know, G. After all that she's done to tear our family apart."

"I know, Ally, and I have told her how much she's hurt us. But we need her. You need her. She's family to you. Blood to you and our children. She's the only one that we can trust to keep them safe from the Comescus."

"You still trust her after all that she's done to us?"

"I'm living proof that she can be trusted, Ally. I should have died years ago, but I'm still here, all because Hetty did everything that she could to keep me safe."

"Are you telling me that she killed my mother to keep you safe, G?" A mixture of emotions rushed through her body.

"Yes." Alex pulled away from him, trying to get her head around it all.

"Ally, please don't push me away." Callen pulled her back and held her, facing him. "I know this is hard on you, which is why Nell and Sam are flying to Argentina to find your sister. I'm hoping that Elena can tell us where your father is, because Nell can't find him anywhere. I believe that they will be able to tell you more about your mother and it will help you understand why Hetty did what she did."

Sorrow for the mother she'd forgotten about welled up inside of her. She stared out at the rich colours of the sky, but she didn't see it. Instead her eyes flooded in tears over the circumstances that had changed her life. She shuddered when she felt Callen's arms wrap around her. She knew that he was only trying to help her deal with all of this information, but she needed time to get her head and heart around this. Everything was becoming too much and her hormones were raging from just only giving birth the day before. She thought about her new born son, so beautiful and precious. Then she thought about the one person who gave her purpose for the ten years she was apart from her husband, her daughter, Katie. The most precious gift of all. She'd brightened Alex's life when she was grieving the loss of the love of her life. She brought a different perspective to things that helped her deal with the depression that would pounce on her at a moments notice.

She thought about how different her life would have been if her mother had lived. She would have grown up with hatred for the man whom she loved. Then it hit her. If Hetty hadn't killed her mother to save Callen, then she would never have met him, fallen in love with him, nor given birth to two amazing and beautiful children. Her breathing hitched and she curled over and cried. Cried for the mother she'd lost and for the blood feud between their families.

Callen picked her up and carried her back over to the bed. He carefully laid her down and lied down next to her. He allowed her to grieve and deal with all of the news that she had learned.


	25. Chapter 25

**Till Death Do Us Part**

_Disclaimer: NCISLA characters belong to Shane Brennan. All original characters and this story are mine._

* * *

**Chapter 25**

**Santa Barbara**

Callen's plans for Alex to meet with Hetty went out the window when his wife's emotional state deteriorated. Alex sunk into a depression and he found himself in new territory. He'd sent a message to delay their visit as he laid beside her, unable to get her to talk to him. He and the midwife had to take her down to the neonatal unit in a wheelchair and her eyes were void of contact as she fed their son. It was Callen who had to be the one to bond with their son, as Alex rejected holding him for any longer than she had to. The midwife suggested that Callen removed all clothing on his chest and that he held Samuel, giving him skin to skin contact. They called it kangaroo care, when the women who usually came in to volunteer their time with the premature babies.

But Callen's heart broke, seeing the state that Alex was in. It was clear to him that she was suffering from depression. He'd never seen her like this, even after the trauma she'd gone through. Although she had suffered and it hung like a dark cloud over her, she brightened after she received the good news that she was in the clear. He'd read somewhere in the pregnancy book about post natal depression, but he never contemplated that Alex would be one to be affected by it. She was a strong woman, who'd faced near death and dangerous situations for her country. She was the team leader for a secret team within NCIS, which reported only to their Director.

But the woman beside him was a shell of her former self. A day ago, she appeared to be coping, even after the news of her being adopted and finding out who her mother was. The safe arrival of their son, Samuel, had brought a bright light into the mix. But after his talk with her the night before, Alex withdrew inside of herself and closed up from everyone around her. He berated himself for telling her about Hetty. He should have listened to Alex when she told him that Hetty couldn't be trusted. But he couldn't help it. He was alive because of the older woman. He looked to her like a mother, she had been the only one who really cared about him. The news that she was a Comescu had shocked him, but her actions had proved her intentions. They had so much history, he couldn't turn his back on her, and he noted the pain Hetty had been in, the worry for him, while he'd been away. More so, knowing he was with Alex.

They needed to talk face to face. But Alex's emotional state worried him to the core. She wasn't in a fit state to deal with Hetty. He clung onto the hope that Nell and Sam found Elena and brought her back to them. That she could help Alex deal with who she really was and that she wasn't a bad person. It wasn't a genetic factor, but a nurture one. And Alex had been nurtured by the Holdens, good upstanding members of the community.

He was torn. He loved Alex and he would die for her. He would do anything to help her. But he didn't know what to do. A knock on the door pulled him away from her. On the other side of the door stood Oscar. Gibbs remained back at the house with Katie, in hope they could keep Alex's condition away from her.

"We need to talk. Let's take a walk." Oscar looked into the room at his daughter and his heart was torn. Memories from ten years earlier flashed before him.

Outside the hospital, Oscar sat down on a bench seat. White rose bushes were in full bloom and scented the air. Callen joined him, his body was exhausted from dealing with his wife. He hadn't slept the night before.

"I worried that this would happen, G. Alex suffered post natal depression after she had Katie. But it wasn't just from having a new baby, it was impacted from losing you."

"But she has me this time." This was news to him, but from what he'd seen upstairs, it made sense.

"Yes, but with this other news, about her being adopted and who her mother was, has hit her harder than any of us could have envisioned. Perhaps we were wrong in hiding it from her, but until recently, we had no idea who had killed her mother and why. As far as we were concerned, Alex was in danger and we needed to protect her. If we had told her the truth and she went looking for her family, we worried about what would happen to her. But it looks like it's happened anyway. Hetty took you away, kept the two of you apart because of who she was born to. If I had known, I would have fought Hetty over it, eleven years ago."

"If Hetty had told me the truth from the beginning and not played games with me, none of the past eleven years would have happened." Anger washed over Callen from the ten years he'd lost with Alex and Katie. "She has a great deal to answer for."

"Yes she does. But that doesn't help Alex now. She needs to go on medication to help her get better. There's no other way. We watched her deteriorate after Katie was born. It was the only way to help her the last time."

"What about Samuel? She won't be able to breastfeed him if she's on them, will she?"

"Actually there's been a huge development in the drugs and there are many varieties available that she can use and continue to breastfeed."

"He needs her, Oscar. Samuel's survival depends on her. I'm doing all the bonding, but he needs Alex. We need a professional to help her. Who did she see before?"

"I agree with you. We're in luck, the shrink she saw was Dr Getz. I believe you know him?"

"Alex saw Nate?"

"Yes. Are you happy for him to come up and see her?"

"Of course. He's a good man and a good friend. I had no idea that Nate knew about Alex back then. He never said anything to me, even when we had our chats over the years. Not once did he let on that he knew about Alex." Callen turned to Oscar. "Did he know about Alex and I being married?"

"No. Your identity had been kept from Nate. But now, I wish we had told him. He might have helped persuade you to come home much earlier."

Callen stood and paced the pathway around the hospital's garden. The cottage hospital was attractive with a well groomed garden for patients and their visitors to enjoy. There were many things about living in Santa Barbara that he loved, like how well everything was well tended to.

"I regret leaving without her, Oscar. I've hurt her so much." He shook his head, the guilt still hung heavily on his shoulders. "No matter how much I try to make up for my mistakes, I'll never get those ten years back. I need to do something to help her, but I just don't know what?"

"Love her. Providing the love that you have for her, is the best medicine for her. Let me talk to her, G. I've been through this with her before. She's opened up to me in the past."

"Okay. And I'll contact Nate to come and talk with her."

"Already done. He'll be here later today."

Callen nodded. "Thanks. Nell and Sam are on their way to Argentina to find her sister, Elena. I'm hoping that she'll help Alex deal with the news of who she is."

Oscar stood beside him, his brow furrowed. "Is that wise? What if her sister is like the rest of her family? You'll all be in danger."

"Not if Elena believes us to be the Sheers family. I've thought this through. While we're undercover, it will help disguise that we're Callens. Just incase Elena has any ill feelings towards us."

Oscar pondered for a moment and nodded. "It might work. I don't think Alex is ready to talk to Hetty, although it needs to happen. Perhaps in a few weeks, once the medication has kicked in and she's feeling better."

"Will she take it? The medication."

"She did before and it helped her a great deal. Nate can prescribe her the same drug as before."

"Good. I want my wife back."

**Argentina — the following day**

The flight had been long and tiring for Nell and Sam, cooped up in coach until they arrived in Buenos Aires. The weather was cooler than Los Angeles as it winter for the southern hemisphere. But not too cold that it was uncomfortable. Thirteen hours stuck in the plane made Sam irritable, but Nell, although exhausted, revelled in the field trip. She'd missed the travelling since moving to Los Angeles. Memories of her time in the Southern American country returned to her in an instant and a smile crossed her face.

"Bienvenido a Argentina." [Welcome to Argentina.] Nell looked around at the familiar landscape of the airport. "Have you ever been here before, Sam?"

Sam shook his head. The difference in the woman beside him had him amazed. She was very much in her element, travelling, speaking the local language, and as he soon discovered, her love for the food. She was well rehearsed in the history of the country and the places to avoid, if you wanted to stay out of trouble. How Nell had managed to hide this side of her from them for so long had him pondering. She was good, he noted. Not just in her knowledge, but also in undercover work, which she'd been doing for years — deep cover. She was able to deceive the best in the business. Hetty still had no idea just how much Nell knew about her and why she was at OSP other than she'd been hand picked by the former spy herself.

"You obviously loved your time living here, Nell."

"I did, Sam. Very much." She showed her driver's license to the desk clerk and signed for the car rental. She led Sam on the way to pick up their car for the next week. She hoped this was all the time they needed to persuade Elena to come back with them.

Sam looked over at her, slightly unsure whether to jump into the passenger seat or demand the keys to drive. He felt more comfortable driving than riding shotgun.

"Until we get out of the capitol, it's best I drive. I know the best routes through this city."

Sam capitulated and climbed into the Jeep Wrangler. "How did you manage to get this beauty?"

The black vehicle would have been his choice and he was surprised by Nell's choice. He'd thought her to choose something more chic, than practical.

"I know the terrain and the country, Sam. When in Rome…"

"I get it. I need to trust your experience as a field agent, not as an analyst."

"Correct." It was new for Sam to take second in command along the petite woman, who was clearly more experienced in the southern part of their continent than any one else in their team.

"Hetty's underestimated you, Nell. We all have."

"Just don't tell her, she'll be peeved if she knew the truth."

"Agreed."

The drive was long, but Nell managed to get them out of the capitol without too much of a hold up and before long, they were out on the open road, heading west to the Mendoza wine area. Nell pulled into a motel in Rosario. "It's a long drive, Sam. I've booked us two rooms here for the night."

Like their plane flights, they were booked in as work colleague for a television station, as Samuel Johnston and Eleanor Muir. Nell collected their keys and pulled her luggage from the rear of the vehicle. They'd not had much chance to talk on the flight, with other passengers being within hearing, she'd planned for them to have a sleep then go over their plan.

"We'll meet in my room in five hours. Is that enough time for you to rest, Sam?"

Sam looked at his watch and nodded. "Yes, thanks." It was already late and dark, he appreciated the break. He stretched out his limbs that had seized up being cramped for so long. "How long's the drive?"

"All totalled, it's around nine and a half hours drive to Mendoza. We can stay there, it's a short drive out to where Elena lives with her family."

"What time shall we head out?"

"Five. The earlier the start, the better. The roads aren't like we're used to."

Sam nodded. He understood how it was in Central America, he had expected no less in Argentina.


	26. Chapter 26

**Till Death Do Us Part**

_Disclaimer: NCISLA characters belong to Shane Brennan. All original characters and this story are mine._

* * *

**Chapter 26**

**Argentina**

As Sam pulled himself out of bed and showered, he could hear voices in the room beside him. They were in whispers, and concern for his friend and colleague grew within him. They'd arrived in the country unarmed, they didn't want to alarm the authorities that U.S. agents had entered their borders, but Sam wasn't taking any chances. He quickly pulled on his jeans and grabbed a vase from the table and crept towards Nell's room. They had a door between their rooms and as he nudged the door open, he was surprised to find Nell whispering with a blond man in his mid thirties.

Nell looked up and a smile crossed her lips. "Hey, Sam. This is Jack. We used to work together a while back." She pulled out a bag and handed it to him. "Here's our gear, just in case."

Sam nodded over to Jack and shook his hand. "NCIS?"

Jack nodded. "Yes. Been here ten years this spring." He looked over to Nell with warmth and Sam could see that these two were good friends.

Sam unzipped the bag and his brow raised when he saw the supplies of weapons, a digital SLR camera, microphone bugs and spyware cameras. "Good supply. Thanks, Jack."

"No problemo." Jack placed his hand on Nell's arm and a silent few words passed between them through the look that he gave her. "Take care, Nell."

"Thanks, Jack. You too." He hugged her and nodded over to Sam as he slipped outside.

"You never mentioned about meeting someone from your old team. Don't get me wrong, having this gear comforts me, but the less people know who we really are and why we're here, the better it is for all of us." Sam looked concerned, although he knew he'd probably would have done the same thing.

"Jack's a good man, Sam. It's a good thing to know that he's here if we need the help." Nell continued looking over the intel that Jack had provided her.

"What's all this?" Sam moved forward to take a closer look.

"Jack's been helping me in accessing information about people on the Comescu payroll in Argentina. You know they have people all over the world who owe them money and would do anything to pay their debts off." Nell brought Sam's attention to one particular wine grower. "This family asked the Comescus for money to set up their business, twenty years ago. The Sanchez family owe the Comescus a great deal of money and they pose a threat to Elena and her family. Jack and I agree that this family is keeping a close watch on her in hope that she will lead them to her father, Dimitri. Jack hasn't been able to find anything on their father either."

"How far from Elena do this family have their vineyard? She may not even know the connection."

"They're neighbours."

"Oh, this is getting better, Nell." Sam sighed with sarcasm. "How long have they lived next door?" He looked at the satellite imagery that Jason had provided them.

"Five years. Before that, they owned a smaller vineyard twenty miles away…hang on," Nell looked back at her own intel and furrowed her brow.

"What is it, Nell?"

"This can't be a coincidence." She pulled out another satellite imagery that she'd brought with them. "Look here. Twenty years ago, the Sanchez family owned a vineyard next door to Elena's in-laws, who own the Alvarez Viñedo. They grabbed the opportunity five years ago to buy the property next door to Elena and her family."

"Five years ago, is when we flew to Prague and Romania to rescue Hetty. I agree, this is no coincidence." Sam and Nell continued to study the intel.

"Gotcha!" Nell highlighted the details with a marker pen and showed Sam.

"The previous neighbours retired to, wait for it,"

"Don't tell me, the Caymans."

"Not quite, but close. The U.S. have a treaty with the United Kingdom with regards to all of their territories and therefore, the Caymans."

"I'm well aware of that, Nell. Remember, G and I brought Tracy back from there."

"Oh yeah. Sorry." How could she forget Tracy Rosetti. They'd all worried over Callen back then, but little did they know that there was nothing for Callen to feel for his former CIA partner. He'd moved on and loved again, this time for real and married Alex.

"So exactly where did they retire to?"

"Santiago De Cuba."

"Well that makes sense. The U.S. have no treaty with Cuba. But why do the old neighbours need to hide?"

"That's what I'm thinking. So I'm looking closer into who they were and oh, here they are." Nell brought up images of the previous neighbours to Elena and her family. "U-huh! See, they look similar, but you can tell they are not the same people."

"So someone is pretending to be the old neighbours, therefore, we have no clue what really happened to them. Sounds about right for the Comescus to be up to something. My theory is, that the Comesucs arranged for someone in the Sanchez family to make the old neighbours disappear, arrange for someone to pretend to be them so the police wouldn't think anything of it and they moved in."

"Spot on." Nell sat back in her chair and watched the worry cross Sam's face.

"We need to be careful, Nell. We can't afford for anyone in the Sanchez family to get wind of our visit."

"I know. I'll have to go in on my own. The Comscus know who you really are, Sam." He didn't like Nell's statement, but he knew she was right.

"I'll have your back and hide out somewhere nearby. Let's take another look at the satellite imagery around the Santino Valle Viñedo."

They studied the lying area and Sam was satisfied once he'd found a group of trees that still had leaves on them to hide in, to the south of the property, the opposite side to the Sanchez vineyard.

"It's time to go." Nell packed everything away into a back pack and grabbed her other bag that contained her personal items.

Sam halted when Nell climbed inside a Blue Chery Tiggo FL. "Hang on one minute. Where did this vehicle come from? We had a Jeep Wrangler yesterday."

"Jack and I swapped. The Wrangler was his vehicle. The person I spoke to at the rental desk is a friend of Jack's. I arranged for the pick up at the airport as if it was a rental so no one would think we were anything but who we say we are. This is more like the vehicle I would drive as a researcher from a Television Network. Hopefully, the swap of vehicles will help deflect anyone from following us from Buenos Aries to Mendoza. It's a seven and a half hour drive, if we leave now, we can get there before it's dark again. Jack's given us a safe house in Mendoza as a base while we're there. We'll be literally down the road from Santino Valle Viñedo, about fifteen minutes away."

Satisfied and impressed with Nell's efficiency of deflection, he slid into the Tiggo and pushed the seat way back. It was much smaller on the inside to the wrangler and not his style, but Nell was right, this suited her better. Now that it was his turn to drive, he was disappointed that he'd lost the opportunity to drive the wrangler. He'll have to buy Michelle one, they were a much sweeter drive compared to her smaller hatchback. He was a big man, all muscle and with his height, he needed the room, especially on those occasions when he was in her car, going somewhere as a family.

**Mendoza**

The drive was long, but the scenery had been picturesque. It was a new country for Sam and he'd enjoyed the drive. The Tiggo was better at driving than he'd first credited it for, but he was desperate to stretch his limbs. "I saw an airport back there. Is there a reason why we didn't catch a flight from the capitol to here?"

"It would have raised more suspicion if we took the easy route, Sam. This way we're less conspicuous." Nell was smart, her IQ was higher than his own, but he would have preferred the easier route. Although he had to agree, she did have a point.

They took their bags inside the small three bedroom terrace house in the quaint city with the picturesque backdrop of the Andres alps. The drive there was mostly farmland, in spring it would be an array of patchwork colours as far as one could see. But their timing was in the south's winter and much of the trees had almost shed all of their autumn glory. The land was more barren higher up nearer to the Andres alps, but the vineyards thrived in the unique conditions of the highlands.

"The highest altitude of vineyards in the world are found in the west of the country, due to the warm dryer climate, providing a healthy environment for little disease and pure waters from the glaciers adding to the soil fertility. There is so much to enjoy in this part of the world. The Spanish influence from early settlers is evident in the architecture of the city with tree lined streets. Water flows through paved channels like streams in between divided roads and shared parkland. The most notable park is General Saint Martín Park, named after the General Saint Martin who lead the Argentinian War of Independence back in the early 1800's. The designer of the park, used British and French 19th Century styles, the main gates to the park consist of a condor and the city's coat of arms.

"Wow, Nell, you are a walking encyclopaedia."

"I lived here for a few years, Sam. This is where Jack and I would come in our time off. We stayed in this very house too."

"Were the two of you…"

Nell laughed. "No, Sam. Jack's my cousin. He's the one who suggested I go to FLETC in the first place, after the situation with Kendall."

Sam nodded. "Sorry, I just noted how close the two of you were, I had no idea."

"He's more like a big brother to me than a cousin, really. Our families grew up nearby and we were always hanging out at each other's places. He managed to get me located down here for a while. The move was just what I needed back then. When Granger and Vance heard about me, they knew I was the right person for the job."

"In keeping an eye on Hetty and looking into who she really is?"

"Yes. Not just because of what I can do, but because I was unknown to Hetty before I was placed on her radar. But she's been a challenge, I'll give her that."

"Granger did that? Placed you on Hetty's radar on purpose, even though he was still CIA at the time?"

"Yes. It had to be that way so Hetty didn't suspect. She still has no idea, and it's best she doesn't."

Sam sighed as he checked out the second and third storeys of the house and the courtyard out back. He noted a rear access to an alley, perfect for fleeing at a moment's notice. He scanned the area from the third floor and counted the houses between them and the next street along. Once he'd gotten his bearings, he relaxed and changed.

"I'm going for a run. I need it after being cooped up for two days straight."

"Go for it. Head north, the streets are quieter and more scenic with the architecture."

"Thanks." He headed outside and took in the air. It was chillier and fresher than the air back home and he knew it was much cleaner. He took in a deep breath and started his run.

Seven miles, around the streets of Mendoza and out towards the vineyards in the direction of Elena Alvarez's home. He decided it was best if he didn't go all the way, just in case someone from the Sanchez family recognised him. It definitely was beautiful, even in early winter. The sharp peaks from the Andre Alps were spectacular, catching Sam's attention, but he kept his guard up, always alert of his surroundings. An hour later, he returned back to their base and stepped under the shower to wash the sweat away. It was good to get out, see the sights and stretch his legs. It was better on foot to get one's bearings and a feel for a place than in a vehicle. It felt safe there and he was glad he was with Nell who knew the place well.


	27. Chapter 27

**Till Death Do Us Part**

_Disclaimer: NCISLA characters belong to Shane Brennan. All original characters and this story are mine._

* * *

**Chapter 27**

**Mendoza — the next day**

Nell dropped Sam off along the road a few miles south of her destination. She didn't need to worry about him, he was a trained Navy SEAL after all. He could move fast through rough terrain even at higher altitudes. Although Mendoza was less than 800 metres above sea level, so that wasn't a problem here either. Meeting with Elena Alvarez was going to be the tough event of the visit and she was the one going in. She'd been in dangerous situations before with a partner on her six, and who better to have than Sam. Yet, Nell couldn't help herself but worry.

The gold and red leaves settled on the ground from a slight breeze that caught more of the almost bare branches. It truly was a beautiful part of the world and Nell was thankful to be back there. She turned up the dirt driveway that led to the house, driving past rows of vines. She'd seen Elena's husband, Santino, and their sons leave five minutes earlier to do the school run. Her timing was perfect and she had Jack to thank for his own hours of staking out for a few days. She had all that she needed to head up and face Elena alone. It'll be like meeting an old friend, she told herself. She is Alex's sister after all.

She pulled up out front of the house and scanned the area. So far there was no signs of life. She stepped out of the Tiggo and felt the gravel crush under her boots as she walked to the front door. She slammed the knocker and waited. Her heart beat rapidly inside of her chest as she looked around the front of the property. The door behind her opened and caught her by surprise. The woman stood expectantly.

"Hello, can I help you?"

Nell could only but stare at the woman before her. She swallowed hard and took in a sharp breath. "Uh, hi." Everything Nell had prepared to say went out of the window. She was expecting someone closer to the resemblance of the photos she'd seen of the woman. Not a double for Alexandra Callen.

"I'm sorry. Seeing you in person just caught me by surprise. You look just like her."

Elena Alvarez tilted her head, a crease of confusion formed between her brows. "Like who?"

"Your sister."

"Who are you?" Elena studied the uninvited visitor. She was petite with auburn hair and hazel eyes which showed intelligence. Elena narrowed her eyes and she became wary.

"My name is Eleanor Muir, I work in research for a television network back in the States. I've been looking into cold cases, such as your mother's."

"Research? You've come a long way for nothing." She went to close the door, but Nell shoved her boot inside to stop it.

"Please. Your sister needs you."

Elena glared intently at Nell. "Lexi's in danger?" It was news to her, how come she hadn't been told.

"Can we talk inside, please?" Elena nodded and stepped back to allow her entry.

Nell noted how Elena's hand hovered near her back and she knew that Elena was carrying. She raised her hands, "I'm not carrying, I'm not here to hurt you."

Elena nodded and relaxed. "Please, come on through to my office. We won't be disturbed in there when my husband returns."

"Thank you." Nell sat in the appointed cream leather armchair.

"Can I offer you a drink, tea, coffee?"

"Water would be fine, thanks." Nell watched the woman open a fresh bottle of cool water, straight from the Andres alps. She swallowed the liquid and found herself calming down a notch. She needed to rein in her nerves, but seeing Elena as a slightly older version of Alex had taken her breath away.

"Please, tell me about Lexi." Elena sat on the edge of her desk, observing her visitor.

"I don't know her as Lexi. Her name is Kelly Sheers. She's married to a guy named Tom with two kids."

"Huh! Is that the name he's going by these days?" Nell saw a hint of amusement in her eyes.

"Pardon?" Nell was confused by Elena's reaction.

Confusion crossed Elena's face. "You said two kids?" Why didn't she know that her sister had another child? Katie would be ten by now, but the last she'd heard, her sister hadn't had anymore.

"Yes. A few days ago, she gave birth to a boy. Samuel."

Elena raised a brow and nodded her head. "I should have known he'd name his son, Samuel."

"I'm not following you? You know about your sister and her husband?"

"Of course I do." Elena stood and walked over to a wall unit and pulled out an album. "Our father keeps a close watch over her since the Holdens adopted her. She was only a baby when our mother was killed in cold blood. That woman, she had no right to come into our house and kill our mother. They were familia. She should have been safe."

"You know who killed your mother?" Nell's voice raised in pitch, she hadn't expected for Elena to know about her sister and her family nor about Hetty killing her mother.

"Of course I do. Everyone in our family knows." Elena handed the album over to Nell.

Nell's heart pounded fast and hard in her chest. Photos of Alex all through her life and there were some of her with Callen and many more of Katie. _Elena knows._ There was no use in denying it now.

"You are a friend of his, are you not?" Elena pointed to Callen. "You work with him?"

Nell's eyes met Elena's gaze and she fought to rein in her emotions. "You look surprised, Nell Jones. You think that I am living isolated from my mother's family down in Argentina and that I know nothing about my sister and her husband?"

"You know who I am?" Nell realised that she was burned, she no longer felt safe.

"Yes, I do. But the information that I have on you is good, you don't need to be afraid. The only thing I need to know is who sent you here to find me?"

"Callen sent me. He's worried about your sister. She's just found out who she is."

A mixture of emotion crossed Elena's face. She took in a deep breath and slowly released it. "It would be a shock to her to find out that she is the enemy to her husband. She loves him dearly. That I do know." Elena poured herself a glass of water and sat down in her chair. "So Henrietta Lange didn't send you like she sent Lauren Hunter then?"

Nell shook her head. "No. She actually argued with Callen about me coming here."

Elena waved her hand in the air. "Of course she would. She's trying to hide the truth about who she is and what she's done."

"She's admitted who she is to our Director. Callen knows."

"That she's a Comescu?" Elena laughed. "Wow, the old lady must have felt desperate to admit that." Elena's visage darkened. "Do you know that she was the one who killed my mother?"

"Yes. To protect Callen."

"That's a lie." Anger raged within Elena, she stood and paced the room. "Hetty killed my mother, because my mother was the one protecting Callen and his sister."

"What?" Fear for Callen, Alex and their children grew in the pit of her stomach.

"My mother was sent to America by my Aunt Alexa to watch over the children, to ensure they remained safe. She overheard her cousin, who you know as Hetty, that she would destroy the daughter."

"Amy?" Nell looked confused.

Elena shook her head. "No. Clara Callen. She arranged for men who worked for our family to kill her on the beach. Hetty arranged with Clara to meet her there, but it was a trap. Then she found out that Clara had two children, Amy and Gavrill."

"You know Callen's name?"

Elena nodded. "It was better for him not to know who he was, it was safer for him. It took Hetty two years to find Gavrill. A cousin of Clara's, Owen Granger, managed to fake Amy's death to protect her from Hetty. He's one smart man and a good one at that. But he was too late for Gavrill." Elena paused and tilted her head to Nell.

"But you know Owen, don't you? He chose you to watch Hetty. You must be good at what you do, seeing that you're still live." Elena heaved out a sigh.

Nell merely nodded, shocked over this revelation.

"Our mother tried to hide Gavrill in our house, but then she heard that Hetty was looking for him, she had to hide him in an orphanage. It was hard saying goodbye to him. He was small for his age, but beautiful. His eyes, so blue and his hair was fair, like mine. We could have been brother and sister."

Nell watched a fond expression spread across Elena's face as she talked about her time with the younger Callen.

"But the life he had with us during those two years wasn't what our mother wanted for him. She wanted him to live a happy and safe life. But he was in danger and we had to hide him in the attic. I used to go up there and play with him. We're the same age and it was like having a twin. But it wasn't safe for him to leave the attic."

A tear escaped Elena's eyes and ran down her cheek. She looked back over to Nell. "I loved him like a brother. I cried for weeks after he left us. It was so hard. Then Hetty came and killed my mother. I was out with Tatā and when we came home the house was surrounded by police and FBI. That's when Tatā met Oscar Holden and he asked him to take care of my sister."

"I'm sorry for the loss of your mother. You wouldn't have been very old yourself."

"Thank you, Nell. Is it okay if I call you Nell? Oscar said that you could be trusted." She nodded.

"Oscar knows about the family then?"

"He does. He's kept Tatā and I up to date with Lexi throughout her life. She was just a baby and Tatā feared that Hetty would hurt her too. Oscar had to keep her close, which is why he and his wife adopted her in a closed adoption, to prevent Hetty from finding out."

Elena leaned forward. "Oscar told us that Owen Granger placed you on Hetty's radar to spy on her? You must be really good to not get caught. The last one to spy on her was kidnapped and killed."

"Who?"

"He was young, just out of your training school for agents, FLETC?"

"Yes, that's what it's called. Do you have a name?"

"Vail. Dominic Vail. Your director placed him inside the office, but he got caught."

The wind escaped Nell as she heard the name. She'd come along after Dom and she never realised that Hetty was the reason behind his kidnapping. She'd read the file, kidnapped on his way home, kept prisoner for three months and after the team went in to rescue him, he was shot in the leg and bled out.

"You look pale, Nell. Have some more water." She poured another glass and handed it over to her.

"This is a lot to take in." Nell's hands shook as she held the glass.

"You've just realised how much danger that you're in if she finds out who you really are. Don't worry, she may be the duchess of deception, but you have learned a great deal from her and you've managed to evade her suspicions. Your director knew you could fool her with your innocent look. You would be dead if she suspected you."

Nell knew what she was getting at, everyone looked at her and thought that she was just brains and that she couldn't hurt a flea. It was safer for her if people continued to think that about her. It was good for her cover, but Elena knew far more about her than she thought anyone could. Or that she'd allowed.

"What I am trying to understand is, if what you say is true about Hetty, why she hasn't tried to kill Callen yet? From where Callen and others stand, Hetty's been the one constant in his life and worked hard to protect him from your family."

Elena gave her a cynical laugh. "If you want to call placing him in abusive foster families and dragging him away from perfectly good ones at a moment's notice, protecting him, then go ahead. Thirty-seven foster families is a lot, don't you think?"

"Yes, it is. I have to agree with you. You do know that there are others out there that Hetty's trained to be agents, just like Callen?"

"Yes. Lauren Hunter. Seven years ago, she had the gall to come to my house and demand every detail of my time in Romania with my family. She held a gun to my children and demanded information from me and told me that I was never to set foot in Europe again, or she would come and kill me. No one in my family knew that she was an imposter, at first anyway."

Nell took another sip, her mouth was parched from shock over what Elena told her.

"Eventually we got word to family in Romania and soon after Hetty showed up, trying to pretend that Gavrill was dead, the last of the Callen line. But we knew otherwise."

Elena lifted a photo frame from the book shelf of her aunt.

"Aunt Alexa played the game along with Hetty, pretending that she didn't remember who she was. That's why she shot her. For her conceit to go home and pretend that she was protecting her boy, as she calls him." Anger resurfaced through Elena's body. "She is pure evil. But when Gavrill turned up to rescue her, Aunt Alexa saw the look in his eyes. He was surprise at how much Lexi looked like her. She then saw my imposter enter with a weapon. By now she was aware who Hunter really was and she drew her gun out to protect Gavrill, but this woman shot my aunt instead. She tried to kill her so she couldn't protect Gavrill from them."

"Tried?" Nell's eyes widened, that wasn't in the report. The report that the team and Hunter had provided said that Alexa Comescu was dead.

"Yes. My Aunt Alexa is alive and lives here with us. What Lauren Hunter didn't know was that Aunt Alexa was wearing a bullet proof vest, all she had to do was pretend that she was dead. But it was no longer safe for her to live in Romania. To keep the illusion up that she was dead, she had to go into hiding." Elena sighed heavily. "Which wasn't good for my cousins. Dracul and Vasile, who then blamed Gavrill for Hetty escaping and for the imposter, so they've behaved like stupid baboons.

"What about the Sanchez family next door? They owe your mother's family a great deal of money."

"The Sanchez's moved in next door five years ago after the incident with Hetty in Romania, to protect us. Incase more agents came down here to hurt us."

"Have anymore come?"

"Until you knocked on my door, none."

"But you know I am not here to hurt any of you."

"Yes. But I need confirmation from your companion, that he will not harm us either."

"He's here to protect me, nothing else. He's here because Callen asked him to come."

"They are close, Gavrill and this man, Sam Hanna?"

"Yes, like brothers."

"Which is why he's named his son, Samuel. It's very fitting. Our family have a great deal to thank this Sam Hanna. Gavrill would be dead if it wasn't for him." Elena walked over to the window and looked outside. "He will be joining us in a few minutes. I have men heading over to his position as we speak. Is there anyway you can contact him to tell him to come peacefully?"

Nell nodded and picked up her cell and quickly sent him a text. "Sam, it is safe. Some men are coming your way, please don't harm them. They are bringing you to the house."

"Copy that."

Sam Hanna stood up from his hiding position and raised his hands. He was surrounded by Sanchez men who had weapons aimed at him. "I come in peace."

One of the younger men moved forward and took all of Sam's weapons and the back pack with the remainder of the gear. Once he was checked over and cleared, the weapons dropped from pointing at him.

"Sam Hanna. Please come with me." An older man opened the passenger door to the truck. Sam nodded and followed. So far they appeared to be civilised.

The truck rocked and bumped along the dirt road that led to the Alvarez family home. When the old man stopped he turned to him. "Mrs Alvarez is expecting you."

Sam nodded and exited the truck, heading towards the front entrance. The front door opened and he too was shocked to see a woman who resembled Alex on the other side.

"Sam Hanna. It is a pleasure to finally meet you in person. Please come in."

Sam shook her hand and saw strength in her character. This wasn't a woman who had run away from the Comescu power. She was one of them. His brow furrowed as he followed her to the study and relief spread across his face when he found Nell sitting rather relaxed in an armchair.

"Please, take a seat." Sam walked over and sat down in the chair beside Nell. "We have a lot to catch up on, Sam. Is it okay if I call you, Sam? We are after all, almost familia."

Sam looked sideways at Nell who nodded to him that it was okay. "Yeah, sure."

"Good. "Would you like something to drink? Tea, coffee, water?"

"I'm fine, thanks. What is it that I need to catch up on? He looked between Elena and Nell, expectantly.


	28. Chapter 28

**Till Death Do Us Part**

_Disclaimer: NCISLA characters belong to Shane Brennan. All original characters and this story are mine._

* * *

**Chapter 28**

**Prague — 2011**

Getting there was so much easier than she had anticipated. She'd killed two employees of the family's, at least that was all they were. Expendable and collateral. There was much more at stake than a few lives. Her agenda was to ensure that her true identity remained hidden from her people in America. She brewed a pot of tea and waited until they arrived.

She heard footsteps and held her weapon out in front of her as the men arrived. They looked at the carnage of bodies before looking at her. The tall blond, he was definitely familia, but he was too young to have been around when she was last welcomed back home.

"Take me to the head of Comescu," She spoke to them in Romanian.

"You deserve to die after what you have done here. Why should I spare you?" The blond growled.

"I have news for the head of Comescu." She kept her face dead panned and continued her request.

The man thought for a moment. For her age, this woman was nothing but trouble. The headache from this mess she'd caused wouldn't go down well in Constanta. "Give me your gun, if you want to see them."

Hetty nodded and did as the man requested. She stood up and followed him out the door. She'd expected his companions to follow, but they remained behind. Trouble left behind for Callen, she thought. If Callen followed her. No, not if, when. There was no doubt the younger man had inherited his talents from both of his parents. Oh yes, she knew very well who both of his parents were, but after such a long time lying to the boy, it was as if it was the truth. A letter for a name. A chuckle escaped deep down in her throat. His lack of memory had kept him alive. With no memory of his life prior to living in an orphanage at age seven, she was safe. Safe from him and from those who sought him. His family.

**Constanta, Romania**

He pulled up outside the familiar beach house and a guard opened the door. The house was surrounded by employees to keep the family safe, but for how long? She followed them inside where the family were eating lunch. All eyes looked up at her as if she was a stranger. This is not what she had expected. She'd expected to see hatred in their eyes and fear. But instead, they looked at her expectantly as if she was just an old lady.

"I have news for the head of Comescu." Hetty stated clearly.

A woman not much younger than herself, walked out carrying a pot in her hands. "I am the head of Comescu. I am Alexa Comescu. What news could you possibly have for me? Your passport says you are a Gloria Woods, but you also go by the name Henrietta Lange, and even that is not your real name."

So she remembers me, Hetty smiled on the inside. This will be interesting. She stepped forward and handed over a thumb drive and an envelope.

Alexa handed the thumb drive over to a man of similar age and Hetty concluded for him to be her husband. She opened the envelope and watched the video of a man in a white shirt being shot down in the streets.

"What is this?"

"Proof. Proof that the last of the Callens has died. He was killed six months ago."

"Why should I believe you?" Alexa narrowed her eyes, curious to what game this intruder was playing.

Hetty pulled up her sleeve. "Because I am familia."

Alexa stared at the Romani wheel tattoo and remained quiet as she looked at the woman. She knew who she was, but she was still in shock that this traitor had the gall to return to the family's home, after all that she had done. She was playing a game, she noted, and so would she.

She nodded over to a guard and whispered into his ear. The guard led Hetty into another room. When Hetty arrived inside the room, she looked over at the pickles, jams and jarred fruits. Nothing inside this room had changed, in all the years since she'd left. The family's traditions continued as if time had stood still.

Alexa entered and stood close to the door.

"Who made these?" Hetty inquired, holding off her real intentions for being there.

"I did. My mother taught me and her mother taught her before that and so on." Alexa played the game that Hetty had started, as if the petite woman before her had no idea about their family. "Sit. Please."

Alexa directed Hetty to the other side of the room to sit at the table, while she prepared vegetables to make soup.

"Why did you come?"

"I've told you why I came. To show you proof that the last of the Callens was dead." She remained calm as she dealt with her.

"You lie."

"I surely do not lie."

Alexa raised her brow, anger surged through her. She pulled photographs out of the apron pocket and threw each of them down. "You lie, you lie, you lie. What is it about this one that you would risk your own life to come here?" She dug her knife blade into the photo of the one whom was the topic of conversation, G. Callen. Photographs of her whole team appeared in front of her and she realised that Callen hadn't come alone. A plan of how she was going to get out of this one began to form in her mind.

The door opened and a familiar face appeared in the doorway, speaking quietly with Alexa. Inwardly she smiled, pleased that her adopted daughter, Lauren, had achieved her objective to infiltrate her own family as Elena Vadim. Outwardly, she appeared nonchalant, as if she'd never seen the woman before. After Alexa returned to the table to cut vegetables, Hetty took her opportunity to inquire after the young woman.

"Who is the girl?"

"My niece. Her father took her away, but she came back to us." Alexa smiled as she busied her hands. Her hands were better doing something, else she would strangle the woman before her. They chattered as if she didn't know who she really was, nor the fact that she knew who the fake Elena really was. She allowed Hetty to tell her some fake story on how she was born in a concentration camp and when her parents died. But they both knew the truth and she wondered why her cousin had returned. She expelled her anger as she chopped away at the carrots.

Gunfire could be heard from outside the beach house and they both knew who had arrived. Callen and his team, the team he left her name sake niece for, all because of the woman before her. She sat down across from Hetty. "Why are they here? To kill you?"

"No, to rescue me."

Alexa couldn't take it any longer. Her patience had run out. "Now tell me why they would come in here to rescue you? You of all people who had his mother killed, kept him hidden from his family and killed my sister who tried protect him from you?

Gunfire rang out, a shocked look crossed Hetty's face as the bullet hit her side. She shouldn't have come, she realised.

"You deserve nothing but to die by my own hands. You killed my little sister. You deserted your familia for America, for what? You've done nothing but make that boy's life miserable. Placed him in homes that destroyed the goodness in him. Took all that he loved from him and kept him hidden from his family. And I've not mentioned how you've allowed him to grow up without knowing his name. What is your agenda, cousin, Erika?"

Gunfire came louder, they were now inside the beach house. Alexa stood up, just as the door burst open and before her very eyes, stood the man whom she'd tried to protect. She'd hidden him with her sister and her family. Sent them to America to hide him from Hetty. She'd found him crying on the beach after his mother had been shot and she did all that she could to console him.

"I know who you are. I know all about you." She still held the gun in her hand, but she saw the shock in his eyes as he looked at her. She knew in that instant that he had worked out who his wife really was. Familia to Comescu. There was no doubt in that, as he hesitated to raise his weapon to shoot her.

Movement from behind the door caused Callen to swing around with his weapon drawn. Shock over seeing this Hunter woman standing there caught him off guard. Hunter raised her gun and before Alexa could act, she felt the impact of the bullet hit her chest. She fell as Callen turned, confusion over what was happening was written all over his face.

Callen stared down at the lifeless body of an older version of his wife, Alexandra. A shiver ran down his spine, but he had more pressing issues to deal with. Hunter. That woman boiled his blood unlike any other. He watched Hunter pull a key from the dead body and unlocked a door and pulled out a laptop. He wanted answers, but Hunter refused to play nice.

Sam entered, relieved to have found Hetty, who continued to sit at the table in silence. Blood continued to ooze out from her bullet wound and she began to lose consciousness. As she fell from her chair, the last thing she heard, was Sam.

"Hetty!"

**Medoza, Argentina — current day, 2015**

Sam looked over to the real Elena Vadim with shock in his eyes. His hands flexed as anger over his best friend's fate was revealed. Finally he had the truth in his hands and fear for Callen, Alex and their children hit him. He turned to Nell, who sat silently throughout Elena's explanation to Sam.

"G needs to know the truth. They're not safe."

"No they're not." Nell pulled out a burn phone. "I'll call Granger and update him."

"I'll call G."

"No." Elena said in a firm voice. "Call Oscar. He knows what to do."

"But G…"

Elena walked over to Sam and gently placed her hand on his shoulder. "I know that you are loyal to Gavrill, Sam. The fact that he is still alive today, is thanks to you. But trust me, please, call Oscar. He'll know what to do. He's currently visiting them, he can act quickly."

Sam looked over to Nell with questioning eyes. She was already onto Granger and she noticed his hesitation. She nodded to him that it was okay to do as Elena requested. He pulled out his cell and exited the room. He waited for Oscar to pick up and was relieved when he did. Although he'd never met Alex's father, he'd heard a great deal about him from Alex and Callen. He knew Oscar could be trusted with protecting them.

"Oscar Holden? This is NCIS Agent, Sam Hanna."

"Agent Hanna. What can I do for you?"

"Not me, Sir, but for Alex and G."

Oscar looked over at his daughter who was sleeping. His talk with her a few days earlier had helped her and she was now taking the medication for her latest depression. They had a close bond like any father and daughter, but for some reason, their bond was closer than most. He wasn't sure if it was due to him finding her crying by her mother's dead body as a toddler and it was he who had managed to soothe her. He turned away and looked out the window, watching the people below go about their daily lives.

"You've found Elena?" He kept his voice low, the last thing he wanted was to disturb Alex.

"We have. Apparently you know more than you've let on about Alex's family?" Sam didn't mean to sound cynical, but the man had kept a great deal of secrets from Alex over the years.

"I made a promise to her father, to keep her true identity hidden and to protect her. The effects of the news hasn't helped her post natal depression. She suffered after having Katie, but it was hampered due to G leaving like he did. The timing couldn't have come at a worse time for her."

"Do you know how dangerous Hetty is to G, Alex and their children?"

"I do."

"Are you aware that Callen's told Hetty about Alex and the kids?"

Oscar furrowed his brow. "No, I did not."

"She was suppose to come up with Director Vance to see them. G wanted her to meet his children."

"He's what?" Callen entered the room as Oscar's voice rose in surprise from what Sam was telling him.

"He doesn't know what danger they're in from Hetty. You need to move them to a safe location."

Callen looked over at Oscar with concern, his cerulean eyes stayed on his father-in-law, trying to work out what was going on.

"Yes. I'm on it. Gibbs is here too, I'll talk to him. No one's come up from Los Angeles due to Alex's health, we've got a little time. I'm not sure if Samuel is ready to be moved, but I will talk with his doctor about the situation."

"Elena has stressed the urgency, Oscar. She said you knew where to take them?"

"Yes, I do. Thanks, Agent Hanna." He disconnected the call and met Callen's stare.

"Sam rang you?" Callen's brows raised in surprise. "He was suppose to ring me."

"He wanted to, G. He's loyal to you, like family. But he's just found out something that confirms what I've always known. I'm sorry, but we need to move your family. Today."

Callen looked over at his wife, she was peaceful and her facial expression, relaxed. She was beautiful and she took his breath away every time he saw her. How had he deserved her? Even after all he'd done, yet she was his, "till death to us part". Her words rung in his head, her admittance that although he'd left her, she still was faithful to him. It was time he proved his worthiness of her faith in him. He needed to protect his family.

"Where?"

"I can't tell you, it's for your own safety. It will require new identities, new cell, watch, wardrobe of clothes, just incase anyone has bugged your things. And you cannot contact anyone from your old life outside of Gibbs, myself, Owen, Sam and Nell. Do you hear me?"

"But Hetty, she was coming up here to meet our children and to help Alex…"

"G." Oscar held his shoulders and faced him squarely. "You're all in danger from Hetty. She's not on your side. She's the enemy."

Callen shook his head. "No. You've got it wrong. She's protected me for all of these years from the rest of the Comescus."

Oscar squeezed his shoulder a little more firm than he'd like, but it was important for Callen to understand the truth. "I haven't got it wrong, G. Alex's mother, Calin, was protecting you from Hetty. It was Hetty who had your mother killed on the beach. She killed Calin to get to you and manipulate you. All she's ever done is keep you from your family. Both families. Ten years lost from being with Alex and Katie. A lifetime from your father and sister. You need to accept this, G, and we've got to move. Now that you've told Hetty about your location, it's no longer safe for you and your family."

Callen's chest hurt. His heart beat heavily under his rib cage, fear and confusion rushed through his veins. Fear for his family, confusion over all that he'd known for all these years. Then he remembered the woman in Romania. The woman who greeted him as he entered the inner room to the beach house. A store room and a work room for cooking. Jars lined up on shelves along the wall and a large table that sat in the middle of the room. Vegetables had been chopped and were sitting inside a large copper pot, waiting to make soup. The soup that would never be made thanks to Lauren Hunter.

"I know who you are. I know everything about you."

The sound of a gun firing off made him swing back around to the woman. She fell to the ground from the bullet that hit her chest. He remembered the shiver that had run down his spine. So much like Alex, only an older version of her. His wife. What what she doing there? But he remembered, he was distracted by Hunter. She unlocked a door with a key that she'd found around the woman's neck. She collected one item out of that storeroom, a laptop and she had refused to let him have it. Even months after the event, she refused to tell him what was on it. Well, anything that pertained to him.

Callen looked back at Oscar. "Alexa Comescu. I noticed her when I entered the room where she was holding Hetty. She told me she knew everything about me and she looked so much like…" He looked over at his wife and then back to Oscar. "I knew back then that Alex looked like Alexa Comescu, but I still did nothing about it. I was focused on trying to find out more about the family feud and what Hunter was up to."

"Lauren Hunter was Hetty's orchestrated distraction for you, G. But you never trusted her, did you?"

Callen shook his head. "No. From the moment I met her, she made my blood boil."

"Trust your instincts, G. Your partner and Nell are with Elena in Argentina. They are safe, but worried about you and your family. We need to move now."

Callen nodded. "Let's go."


	29. Chapter 29

**Till Death Do Us Part**

_Disclaimer: NCISLA characters belong to Shane Brennan. All original characters and this story are mine._

* * *

**Chapter 29**

**Santa Barbara**

Alex was in a daze, she felt strong hands rock her shoulder. They were insistent, which brought her suddenly out of her sleep. A frown creased in between her brows. She cleared the fog of her brain and saw her father. "Dad. What's up?"

Oscar Holden had her bag in his hand and appeared to be in the middle of packing.

"We can't go anywhere. Samuel's too small."

Oscar held his daughter by the shoulders as he sat on the edge of her bed. "G's arranging for a transfer for Samuel. You're all in danger."

The word danger had her agent skills kick in and she instantly looked towards the door. "From who?" As far as she was concerned, they were safe there.

"Hetty."

Alex saw the seriousness in her father's eyes and furrowed her brow. "Dad. What aren't you telling me?" She studied him further and she knew instantly that he knew much more than he'd let on to anyone.

Oscar sighed. "Sweetheart, you need to trust me for now. When we're safe, I can tell you everything." The burden that he'd carried for all of these years started to shift. It was the right time to tell her, once they were to a safer location.

Alex nodded and shifted off the bed. "I need to gather my things. What about Katie?"

"Gibbs is packing up at your house and he'll be here soon with Katie."

"Good. Make sure he finds the photo album at the back of the closet…"

"He's already got it, Ally. I told him about it. It's safe."

Alex took in a deep breath and levelled the adrenaline that flooded her system. "Thanks, Dad." She helped him gather everything that she had for herself and for Samuel in the room.

Callen popped his head in and gave her a comforting smile. He whispered in Oscar's ear before walking over and kissing her and leaving again. It had happened so quickly, she wasn't sure if she had imagined it.

Her doctor entered the room. "Kelly, is everything okay?" She'd overheard Callen's request for Samuel to be transferred to a hospital north of their location.

Alex's eyes darted over to her father's before turning back to look at Karen Elliot. "No. I'm sorry, Karen. For your protection, I can't tell you anything. But we have to move."

Karen knitted her brows together, watching her patient with her father quickly pack everything up. "Are you in danger?" Concern for the Sheer family grew deep within her.

Alex stopped what she was doing and looked over to the kind doctor who had helped her through her pregnancy and Samuel's delivery. She had been good to her and she knew that the woman deserved to be told something. "Yes. I'm sorry, but the safest thing for you is to not know anything."

"Okay." Karen noted the seriousness in her eyes. She wondered whether Tom was really Samuel's father, those cerulean eyes stared out in stark contrast to the brown eyes the family possessed. _Perhaps the real father has threatened to take him away._

Callen appeared again with Samuel in his arms. "You ready?"

They nodded and looked over to the doctor.

"Thanks, Karen for everything." Alex hugged the woman.

"Thanks, doc. We won't forget you." Callen carefully removed his contact lenses. It wasn't worth him hiding his eyes anymore. Hetty knew what he looked like now with his contacts in. "I'm sorry, but we can't tell you who we really are."

Karen's eyes widened at the surprise of Tom's true eye colour. It made sense now as to Samuel's vibrant blue eye colour. _They must be a family in the witness protection and they have to move again._ "Stay safe." She watched them leave and as she stood at the window, she saw them climb into an unmarked black SUV and vanished.

**Mendoza, Argentina**

Samuel paced the office and heard a car door slam shut. Elena's husband, Santino, had returned. He entered the home and made his way to the kitchen and boiled the kettle. He poured himself a cup of tea and opened up his laptop. It was a quieter time of the year in the vine harvesting. He'd been up at the crack of dawn checking his vines, to ensure they were surviving the overnight temperatures. He'd placed a special net over the vines to keep the frost from them and it had proven to be successful in all the years since he'd taken on his own vineyard. He'd learned much from his father and he was teaching his sons to carry on the family tradition in like manner.

"We have company." He turned and smiled at his wife's aunt.

"I noticed a strange vehicle out front. Are they in with Elena?"

"Yes, they are. They have travelled far to see her."

"Should I be worried?" He noticed how settled Alexa was as she sat at the kitchen table, pouring over old family recipes and writing out a shopping list.

"They are friends with your sister-in-law and brother-in-law."

Santino's eyes widened. "Friends of Lexi and Gavrill?"

Alexa's smile widened. "Yes. Apparently you have a new nephew. Samuel."

"And you, a new great nephew. Congratulations. Your sister would have loved to see her girls grow up into the women they are now. I gather that means that Gavrill's returned to be with Lexi then?"

A small chuckle escaped her lips. "It appears so." The news brightened her in her older years. Hiding away in this beautiful part of the world had helped her with the sadness of what her cousin had caused on their family.

Elena exited her office and found Santino and her aunt conversing in the kitchen. "We have guests, Sant. Friends of my sister's." He saw the smile on her lips, but he also noted the worry in her eyes.

"But you are worried."

"For Lexi and her family. She's recently given birth to a son. He's eight weeks premature. But Oscar Holden is moving them to a safe location."

"It's a good thing that your father asked Oscar to take good care of your sister. He's a good man. Can these visitors be trusted?"

She nodded her head. "The woman was hired to get in close with Hetty and watch her closely. The man, he's Gavrill's best friend. He sent them here for Lexi. She's just found out who she is and she is worried about the blood feud."

"Does this mean that Hetty no longer has a hold over Gavrill?"

"I think so. He's been away from her for over a year, but Nell and Sam are worried about them being found. I think Gavrill's been in contact with Hetty recently and has told her where they've been hiding."

Sadness for her sister took over her expression. "She was burned in the Ukraine and almost died. Gavrill and another colleague went in under old aliases and rescued her. They've been hiding ever since from Hetty and the agent who'd burned her. The rogue agent has been arrested, but Hetty is still a risk. But I've also been told by Nell and Sam, that the Ukrainian whom they rescued her from, a Roman Basara, is also looking for them." She shuddered over the danger that her sister was in.

"We can help with the Basara problem. Send our people into the Ukraine and kill him."

"He's got men in the States, looking for them."

"I'll make a call." Santino left them and walked out to the rear building to his office, he made a call. His wife's family came in good stead in situations like this. They knew people who would kill for them to protect family. It gave him reassurance that they could end this Roman Basara once and for all. For his wife, he'd do anything.

**Los Angeles**

Henrietta Lange paced her office. It had been three days and she'd not heard once from Nell or Sam. She'd tried their cells but both were switched off. She picked up her phone and dialled the NCIS office. "This is Hetty Lange from OSP in Los Angeles. Could I please speak with Special Agent Glen Hadly?"

Jack Spencer knew exactly who Hetty was, but he said nothing as he passed the phone over to his boss. "A Hetty Lange from the Los Angeles office."

"But we don't have an office in L.A." Glen furrowed his brow and sat in his chair as he watched Jack shrug and leave the office.

"Special Agent Hadly. Miss Lange, how can I help you?"

Hetty smiled as she heard the team leader of the Argentina office answer her call. "Mr Hadly. I have two of my people in your neck of the woods. I haven't heard from either of them in three days. I was hoping that you and your team might be able to search them out to see if they are safe."

Glen Hadly sighed. They were a small team and already busy with their own work, let alone check up on this woman's people. "Why wasn't I informed of your people coming down here, Miss Lange? This worry of yours could have been prevented if we knew of their presence."

"They've gone down there for a personal matter. It's out of my domain."

"I'm sure that they're fine. Send me through their details and we will look out for them."

"Thank you, Mr Hadly. Your assistance is much appreciated." She disconnected the call and dialled through to Ops.

"Mr Beale. Can you please send Nell and Sam's details through to Agent Hadly in the Argentina office."

"Will do, Hetty." Eric Beale looked over at Owen Granger who stood behind him with his hands in his pockets.

"What has she asked for you to do?" Owen Granger stepped closer to the Technical Operator.

"Send Nell and Sam's details through to an Agent Hadly down in Argentina. Why would she ask me to do that?"

"She's worried. Send them through."

Eric raised his brow. "Is Nell and Sam down in Argentina?"

"Yes." Owen kept his composure, he didn't want to startle the tech, who would give the ball away to Hetty if he said anything to him.

"Are they okay?" Beale looked over at him over his glasses.

"I'm sure they are. She's not dealing with having her people out of the country. She has no control over their visit. It's a personal one, she has no jurisdiction." Inside, Owen chuckled over it all. After Nell's phone call earlier, he'd expected as much from the Operations Manager. She was going down and he was glad about it.

**Buenos Aires, Argentina**

Special Agent Glen Hadly opened up his email and stopped short when a familiar face appeared before him. He looked over to Jack and waved him over.

"Has Nell been in contact with you recently?"

Jack shrugged. "Maybe."

"I take that as a yes. Please tell me that you know that she is in the country and that you know where?"

"I do, but if that was Hetty asking you for information, I've been asked to tell you to stop right there."

"Jack, I've known you for almost fifteen years. We're a close unit and I also know that you and Nell were close back in the day. What's going on?"

"They're not here for work, Glen. They are looking for someone for a friend. That is all. Low risk. I've done some surveillance and risk analysis for her and her partner. Big guy, no need to worry about either of them."

"Their Operations Manager in L.A. begs to differ. Tell me where they are, Jack."

"No. Sorry, Glen. I am not helping this Hetty woman."

"Have they gone rogue?"

"No. You know Nell. She's clean as a whistle. Her partner is a former Navy SEAL. He's full of honour and integrity. Both clean. Director Vance and Assistant Owen Granger will vouch for either of them."

"Are you telling me that Vance and Granger know about their visit, but it's personal? I'm missing something, aren't I?"

"It's complicated and I cannot tell you anything more. If you would prefer, I can call Nell for you so you can ask her in person?"

Glen Hadly felt that he was being placed in between a rock and a hard place and he didn't like it one bit. "I think I will take you up on that offer, Jack."

Jack dialled his cell and waited for Nell to answer.

"Hi, Jack. What's up?"

"Glen wants a word."

Nell looked over to Sam who had returned to sitting, but his feet were itching to move again. He didn't like sitting where he was, waiting for news that his partner and family were safe. "Hi, Glen. Long time. How's it going?"

"Nell. It's good to hear that you're okay. Your Operations Manager is worrying about you and your partner. She's asked that we find you for her."

She and Owen had been right in their thinking. Hetty just couldn't help herself. _She was only concerned about protecting herself._ She really wasn't worried about her or Sam, but that she was safe from them finding out the truth. "We're fine, thanks, Glen. Just don't let her know that you know me. Can you do that for me?"

Glen looked over to Jack who sat on the edge of his desk, waiting. "Now why don't you want your current boss to know that your old boss knows you, Nell? What's going on?"

"You'll have to ask Director Vance or Assistant Director Granger for that answer, Glen. Got to go. See you." Nell disconnected the call and took a large gulp of water.

"What was that about, Nell?"

Nell looked over to a concerned Sam. "Our boss has been asking my old boss about us. Jack rang earlier to warn me. Hetty's worried."

"So she should. After all the damage she's done, she's covering up her tracks and refuses to be found out. She was adamant that we didn't come here and now we know why. She's not worried about our safety, but her own." Anger surged through Sam and once again he felt the need for revenge for his partner and his family.

Elena returned with morning tea. "Have you heard anything yet?"

"Only that Hetty's been inquiring with the team leader of NCIS down here to find us. I've just got off the phone from him. I told him to talk to our Director and Assistant Director for information."

"Good." Elena nodded her head. The last thing they needed was the local NCIS unit digging into matters that were none of their concern.

"Where are you staying?"

"At a safe house."

"NCIS safe house?"

Nell and Sam nodded.

"This isn't good. I can go with you to collect your things. It's best to make sure. If Hetty is trying to find you, then we need to make it harder for her." Elena looked at them both with worry. "I'm afraid that it won't be safe for either of you to return the same way you came. We need to return your hire car and help you get back home undetected."

"How?" Sam looked over to Nell not liking this one bit. Worry about his own family and the rest of the team grew within him. Not to mention the worry for his partner and his family.

"On land. It's okay, Sam," she tried to soothe him. "I will come with you. It's time for me to be reunited with my sister.

Sam's cell rang and he quickly picked it up.

"Sam Hanna? This is Oscar Holden. The Sheers are safe."

"Thanks, Oscar. Keep this line open for future contacts. Hetty's not got this burn phone details, it's safe to use it."

"Will do. Contact me when you're back in the country with Elena. I will tell you where to go from there."

"Thanks, Oscar. I know that Elena is eager to reunite with her sister again."


	30. Chapter 30

**Till Death Do Us Part**

_Disclaimer: NCISLA characters belong to Shane Brennan. All original characters and this story are mine._

* * *

**Chapter 30**

**Vancouver**

The journey had taken them longer than Oscar had liked, but with the constant stops to feed young Samuel and changing of his nappy, it was necessary. Finally they'd made it to a small air strip, where a Learjet 45XR was prepped ready for them to leave in. The flight north and across the border into British Columbia had gone smoother than expected, with no turbulence, which was a blessing with such a small precious bundle on board. A midwife had been hired for the flight and she helped Alex attend to Samuel's every need.

Callen and Oscar piloted the jet. It was strange, Callen thought, to be in the cockpit with his father-in-law. They were more alike than he'd realised. Both Feds with pilots licences, and they did whatever it took to protect the innocent. Right now, it was Alex, Katie and Samuel who were their main concern. He wanted to berate himself for being too trusting with Hetty. She'd tricked him into believing that she had his best interest at heart. He'd believed her story, how she'd killed Alex's mother to protect him. But now, Oscar told him otherwise. After all this time, he finally knew the truth.

They landed the jet smoothly in a small airstrip to the east of the city, with it not being a sea plane, they just couldn't land anywhere in the harbour. Two armed men met them on their arrival and ushered them into the waiting vehicles immediately. They drove north, heading up into the mountains, towards Whistler. Although it was summer, some of the taller mountains were still capped with snow. They turned off onto a logging road, with only the first part sealed, as they continued on to their next location. A lake appeared though the trees, catching their breaths from the scenery.

"It's beautiful." Alex's eyes widened, her heart thumped inside her chest. The lake was still as a mill pond, reflecting the tree lined mountains around it. The clear blue sky brightening what would normally be a dark blue lake. She spotted two hummingbirds hovering around a tree, looking for nectar.

"We'll stay here for the night. We move at first light." Oscar told them. It was sad that they couldn't stay there for longer, it was a beautiful place. The log cabin rested just up the hill from the lake and two sea planes floated next to a jetty. "We'll take them next. It will be hard to be traced, mixing up our form of transport. But we'll need to split up into both planes."

Oscar wasn't wrong, Callen thought. He'd planned this a good time in advance. This was no sudden decision to move them. He realised that Oscar had been planning this for some time, to move them away from Santa Barabara, before Sam's call.

They settled in the cabin, Callen took Katie down by the lake and tried to catch some fish for dinner. Gibbs joined them and he sat down beside Katie, helping her with attaching the bait onto the hook.

"Thanks, Uncle Jethro," Katie beamed up at him.

"You two look like you've done this before," Callen observed.

"You weren't around, Katie needed someone to show her these things," Gibbs cut to the chase.

"I'm trying, Jethro. Trying to make up for the lost time, but ten years is a long time."

"I know. I wish I had done something, tried to get you away from her sooner." They kept Hetty's name out of their conversation, with Katie being there.

"I got something." Katie's squeals of delight echoed around the lake.

Alex stood out on the deck, overlooking the sight of her family, fishing. A smile crept over her face watching them enjoy this time together. There was something about this place, where they could be themselves and relax. Where they didn't have to look over their shoulder for danger, lurking.

**Los Angeles**

Henrietta Lange fumed as she looked out her bedroom window. Her contacts reported the news that she'd dreaded. Callen and his family had moved out. There were no traces of them in Santa Barbara, the house or the hospital. It was as if they had never been there. She pursed her lips firmly, scolding herself for allowing him to leave. She'd finally after over a year of his absence, had him back in her hold. Here at her house. She'd fed him, nurtured him, like the old days. The sound of her cell vibrating in her pocket, brought her out of her thoughts. "Yes?"

"Miss Lange." The foreign accent was noted immediately. "I believe we have a common problem. Someone we both want eliminated."

The voice of Roman Basara streamed through over her cell and for a moment she was annoyed over him contacting her. "Who gave you this number?"

"I was told that you could be trusted. That you want the same woman dead, as I do?"

She shook her head, slightly confused with herself. Exactly what was it that she wanted? Did she really wish for Alex to be dead? She'd killed her mother so she could have Callen all to herself and to protect her true identity. Now she had lost him to Calin's daughter. "I'm not sure who told you that.. I'm sorry, I don't have your name."

"Roman Basara. You know who I am." She did and from what she knew of the man, she did not want any dealings with him. Someone on her payroll must have blabbed. She would find out who and deal with them herself.

"You are a wanted man, Mr Basara. If I were you, I would leave the woman you seek alone and stay clear of the U.S."

Roman Basara stared over to his contact, a man who had come to him with the information that this Lange woman wanted revenge on one Alexandra Holden. "My apologies, Miss Lange." He disconnected the call and tensed his jaw. "You told me that she wanted this woman dead. Why did you lie to me?"

Colin Ferguson narrowed his eyes, he saw the look of anger in Roman Basara's eyes and fear for his safety grew within him. "She does. She sent men to hunt her down. She's taken something very precious from Miss Lange."

"Well that's not what she told me." Roman looked over to one of his men and nodded his head.

Colin looked between Roman and the man on his right, fear for his life, ensued him. "I'm telling you the truth," he begged.

Roman's man, Uri, was clean and quick. He sliced Colin's throat and his body slumped to the floor.

"Get rid of him." Roman left the men inside the warehouse and climbed inside his car. He looked at the intel given to him from Sasha. He was close. Soon, he would have his revenge. Not only on the woman, but on the two men who had taken him for a fool. His driver took him to a nearby airport where he boarded a plane, heading north. The small coastal town of Santa Barbara was picturesque and quiet. Too quiet for Basara. As he exited the plane, he was greeted with a crew of four men, ready at his disposal.

"We've reports that she was seen at the local hospital. It appears she gave birth to a boy not that long ago."

"How charming." Basara was not amused. "What about the men?"

"Both were seen at the hospital. I think she is married to the younger one. The older, a friend, from what I've been told."

Roman nodded, a small smile crept onto his lips. "You have done well. And now?"

"They've gone. Taken away by the older man and another. There's a girl too. Much like the younger man."

"We were tricked. I don't like to be made a fool. We will find them and take them out together. We will send a message to all American Federal agencies not to come to the Ukraine again." Roman pondered for a moment. "Have we anyone that is willing to talk, tell us where they've gone to?"

"No. Not even the doctor knows. Security cameras show them leave, but the vehicle has not been found. They've gone underground."

"Someone has tipped them off?"

"I think they were running from someone else. I don't think they were aware of you coming."

"Miss Lange?"

"She's known as Hetty, to all in the agencies. From what I've heard, she has quite the reputation. Her people arrested Green too."

"So this Colin Ferguson was telling the truth?"

"Yes."

Roman shrugged. To him, Ferguson was a means to an end. Collateral. "We need to find them."

"Yes, boss." His men left him, they knew what they had to do. They had three Federal Agents to find and if Miss Lange was not going to help them, then they would find her themselves and get Green out. He was their best hope in finding them. He knew them better than any of his men.

**Office of Special Projects, Los Angeles**

"Hey, Kens," Deeks whispered over to her. "Do you get the feeling something's not right?"

Kens looked around, so far there was no Hetty or Granger. She nodded. "Hetty's acting strangely. Should we see if Eric knows anything?"

A clearing of a throat, caught their attention.

"Eric. Just the person." Deeks smiled over to him.

"Hmmm. What exactly are you after, Deeks?" He raised her brow, waiting tentatively.

"Do you know what's going on with Hetty?"

"In what way?" He tilted his head, he really didn't have a clue.

"You've not noticed? Ever since Callen left and then Nell and Sam…"

"She's got a lot on her mind." Eric replied. "Neither Nell or Sam have reported in and she was supposed to head up to Santa Barbara to see Callen and his family, but that was put on hold. She's probably feeling lonely."

Kens gave Deeks a look. Something was going on, but from what they'd already learned, Hetty had been deliberately left in the dark over Callen's call to D.C. the previous year.

"You don't think that she's been left in the dark again about whatever is going on, do you?" Kensi put out there for both her partner and the Technical Operator to think upon.

"It is unlike Nell not to report in. Or Sam. But then again, they've gone for Callen, so…." Eric's voice trailed off when he saw the look Deeks was giving him. He felt someone standing behind him and he slowly turned, expecting it to be Hetty. He sighed with relief, when it was Assistant Director, Granger.

"Where is Hetty?" Granger's voice had returned to being gruff.

"She's not shown up for work yet." Deeks advised him. "So unlike her."

"Yes. Hmmm." Owen scanned the area before looking back at the three of them. "Beale, find her. Deeks, Blye, come with me."

Eric ran up the stairs and into Ops and began his search for their small but fierce Operations Manager.

Deeks and Kensi followed their Assistant Director and were surprised by where they went. He took them through an old tunnel from the rear of the storage cupboard and came out a few streets away from the mission.

"Where are we?" Kensi looked around for some point of familiarity.

"Somewhere safe. It's time I read you both in on this op."

Deeks and Kensi gave each other worried looks. "What's going on?" Deeks furrowed his brow, a serious expression crossed his and Kensi's faces.

"This." He handed them a file, one they'd not realised he carried until they'd exited the tunnel.

Deeks opened the file, Kensi stood beside him and they both read the details.

"No way. Hetty is what? No. We heard you both in the boat shed, she done everything she could to protect Callen from the Comescus."

"You only know part of the story, Deeks." Owen rubbed the three day growth over his jaw.

"Calin Vadim was a Comescu, Alexa's sister. The truth of what happened back in Constanta was altered by Hetty. It was her that ordered the hit on Clara Callen."

The shock of this news hit Deeks and Kensi hard.

"It was Alexa who found Callen on the beach that day along with his sister. She sent them to America with her sister, Calin, and her family, to protect them from Hetty. I was able to get to Amelia in time to fake her death and she was able to live with us and her father, after he escaped prison. Callen wasn't so fortunate."

The news sunk in and now for the first time, they were understanding the reasons why Hetty had been left in the dark over Callen and now, as it appeared, Nell and Sam's trip to Argentina.

"Calin hid him for as long as she could. He used to play with Elena in the attic. She had another daughter, a baby. Her name was Alexa, named after her sister. But word got to her that Hetty was in America, looking for the Callen children. She was close, Calin had no choice but to hide Callen in an orphanage from her. However, that didn't save her from Hetty's wrath."

Kens gave Deeks a worried look.

"Hetty wanted Callen. We're not sure why him, but she was out to invest all of her energy into him, to ensure he never had a happy life, no family, no love. She manipulated his life so that she was the only person that he saw who cared about him. She had him moved through the thirty-seven foster homes, many weren't suitable for any child to live in. It destroyed any good in Callen."

"Until Hetty took him in at fifteen." Kensi shook her head, worry for the team and their future at OSP appeared blurry.

Granger nodded. "Yes."

"But if she did good for Callen from then on, gave him the opportunities to be an agent, give him a family in the team, why are you out to get her now?"

"We don't understand her objectives until after the fact. She moved Callen away from a team where he was happy before here. In D.C., he worked with Agents Gibbs, Holden and Todd. They became a family, much like your team here. Callen and Agent Holden, who you now know to be Calin Vadim's daughter, Alexa, were married."

"Yeah, we heard that when you were interrogating Green."

"What you don't know, is that Hetty moved Callen to Los Angeles to get him away from Agent Holden. Hetty didn't know that they were married or that Alex was pregnant with their first child. Callen had no idea about Hetty's intentions. She lured him with deep undercover work."

"What I don't understand, here…" Deeks tried to absorb all the contents of the file as he listened to their Assistant Director. "Why did Callen up and leave his wife?" He'd seen he guilt in Callen's eyes, the last time they'd seen him.

"He expected Alex to follow him. Callen had told Hetty that the only condition that he would come was for Alex to join this team. But what Hetty deliberately hid from him, was that she called Alex directly and told her not to come and that she knew who she really was and that she was to stay away from Callen."

"Because she is Comescu?" Kensi remembered the shock over the news when they'd overheard Granger and Hetty have their heated discussion in the boat shed.

"So Hetty says. But Alex had no knowledge of who she was. And what Hetty has eluded to was a lie. She didn't kill Calin Vadim, Alex's mother, to protect Callen. She killed Calin, because it was her who was protecting Callen from Hetty. Hetty had Clara Callen murdered and sought Callen to ruin his life. To give the illusion that she cared for him and only she had his best interest at heart."

"Which is why she intervened in his life at fifteen."

Owen nodded. "Yes. She eventually got him out of the system and gave him a 'safe' place to live. So he thought. But she was plotting. Preparing him to her own devices, keeping him from knowing anything about who he really was and from his family."

"Hetty's been watched closely by our agency for some time."

"Nell." Deeks smirked over to his partner. "Told you."

Kensi sighed. "Okay, smarty pants. But seriously, Deeks, this is not something to be smug about. Our team is at stake here."

"Kensi's right." Owen added. "Sam and Nell are safe. They are currently with the real Elena Vadim in Argentina. They've been filled in the truth by Elena. Nell's been in contact with me. Hetty's worried because she can't get in contact with them.

"What about Callen? Is he coming home?"

"No. FBI Agent, Oscar Holden and Agent Gibbs have taken them into protective custody. We have no idea where they are, only that they are safe." Owen scanned the area, to ensure that they were still safe at that location.

"The timing of this has couldn't have come at a better time. Roman Basara has entered the country. He's looking for Alex, Callen and Gibbs. Thanks to Green, Callen and Gibbs have also been burned."

Anger flashed across Deeks and Kensi's faces. All that they had learned about Green had them wishing that they too could have had a moment alone with him, and deal with him in their own way.

"I understand how you both feel over Green. I'm sorry that we had to keep the details on why he was at OSP from you."

"Because none of us would have worked with him had we known." Deeks words rang true and Owen nodded.

"What now?" Deeks suddenly felt all that he'd built up in OSP amongst the team, falling apart.

"I've asked Beale to find Hetty. I want you to find Sasha Malis and follow him. I want to know every move he makes. Here's his last known location."

Deeks and Kensi looked at the details and nodded. They looked back at the tunnel and knew that they had to go back inside to get to their vehicle to do what was required of them.

"Okay." They left Owen standing there as his cell rang. It was Eric, with the update on Hetty.


	31. Chapter 31

**Till Death Do Us Part**

_Disclaimer: NCISLA characters belong to Shane Brennan. All original characters and this story are mine._

* * *

**Chapter 31**

**Mendoza, Argentina**

Adrenaline pumped through Santino's veins at the news that Roman Basara was in California. He picked up his phone and dialled their Los Angeles' contacts.

"It's Santino. We have a serious problem. I've sent you the image of the man we want dead. He's Ukranian and is after a member of our family. He needs to be stopped."

"Yes, I see it now. No problem. We'll handle it from our end." The man disconnected his call and stared over to his brother.

"We have a job for Comescu." A smile crossed his lips. "Time to finish the job."

Uri and Glebe Markoff were Russian brothers, settled in California for five years. They'd kept their head down and stayed under the radar from the American Government. They owed their new freedom to the Comescu family and they would do anything for them.

They'd just killed a man, Colin Ferguson, for their new target, Roman Basara. So this would be easy for them. What Basara was ignorant in, was that they were loyal to the Comescus. A fact that Roman Basara had yet to learn, and that the woman he sought, was Comescu.

Santino dialled his cell and waited for his wife to pick up.

"Sant, what's up? He could hear the concern in her voice.

"I have men on Basara, soon your sister will be safe from them. How are you doing?"

Elena, Nell and Sam had left two days earlier for the States, travelling north through rough terrain until they reached the edge of their beautiful country. A narrow air strip was nestled in the hills and a Cessna Citation CJ4 waited for them.

Sam smiled at the jet, he'd been prepped by Elena earlier that his piloting skills would be required. This jet belonged to the Comescu family under another corporation. The paper trail was long, with hope that Henrietta Lange wouldn't find it or them on their travels.

Sam started the engine and took off the small runway, leading the jet high up to avoid the surrounding mountains. Ash from the Chilean volcano, Calbuco, prevented them from flying from lower down in the country, the southerly winds had pushed it north, closer to the Mendoza region. But here, the air was clear and it was safe for them to continue their journey by air. The vehicle was taken back to the family's vineyard, to disguise their journey from prying eyes.

**Los Angeles**

Henrietta Lange had problems of her own. She hadn't even ventured outside of her Dovecote walls, before armed men greeted her, taking her prisoner. Without Duke being alive to protect her, she sent out an agent in distress code, hoping for someone to come. But with her team split up in various locations around the country and world, she doubted if anyone came to her rescue.

"Miss Lange. Finally we meet." Roman Basara gave a bilious smile.

Hetty's expression was nonchalant, but inside, her stomach twisted into knots. She'd heard what he'd done to Alexandra Holden after Green had burned her. What hope did she have of surviving at his hands at her age?

"You're reputation precedes you, Miss Lange. Here I am with my men, you are clearly outnumbered, yet, you show no signs of fear. Why is that?"

Hetty shrugged. "You do not fear me. You are no threat to me."

**The Ops Centre**

The alarm from Hetty's cell came through loud and clear. Eric looked over to Granger for directions.

"Bring up her security from Dovecote, Beale."

Eric obeyed, and they watched as Hetty stood, surrounded by Roman Basara and his men. Eric looked up at Granger, worried for the older woman.

"Send Deeks and Blye to her location. I'll meet them there with SWAT. Call it through to LAPD."

Although the woman was not whom she appeared, Basara was on their wanted list. Hetty still had to prove that she was a changed woman. She hadn't hurt Callen in all the years, well not directly, and until they had evidence that she wanted Alex dead, they had nothing on her. No proof anyway. For now, it was her word against Alexa Comescu and Elena Alvarez.

"On it now." Eric typed away and waited with bated breath. Worry for their Operations Manager continued to fester inside of him until he knew that help had arrived. He was the last one on the team to be left in the dark over Henrietta Lange's true identity and past. It was a good thing, Granger decided. The tech was nervous enough around the former spy as it was. It wouldn't take much for Beale to spill the beans on what they had on her.

Owen Granger shook his head as he climbed into his vehicle. Annoyed with himself that he too had told the woman too much. Now she knew who he was and that Amy was alive. He'd placed her life at risk, because for some strange reason, he trusted the woman. But with all that Nell and Oscar had told him, he was still unsure if Hetty could be trusted around Callen, Alex and their children. Time would tell. For now, they needed to protect her from Basara.

**Dovecote, Beverly Hills**

Deeks and Kensi moved in from the rear stone wall of the property, staying clear from sight of the Ukranian and his men. They found Hetty sitting in her chair, unharmed for now. That was a good sign. They were positioned under a hedge, near the opened window of her sitting room and they could hear the conversation between Roman Basara and their boss.

"I want you to release Green into my custody." Basara demanded. "Then I will let you free."

Hetty gave a wry laugh. "You think that I know where your man, Green is? You know nothing. I have nothing to do with his arrest or where he's being detained. You've come to the wrong person."

Roman furrowed his brow, once again his intel was incorrect. "I was told that your team arrested him. You will get him for me. Make the call." He held up his weapon in her direction.

Hetty merely sighed. "You can shoot me, but I still cannot get Green for you. My superiors arrested him, it has nothing to do with me." She felt her ageing body falter under the strain. Cracks in her stoic facade began to appear.

Roman dropped his weapon and studied the woman. She was telling him the truth. He was annoyed. His people were failing him.

An armoured truck entered the property, a SWAT team disembarked and ran into position around the front of the property. Their escape route had been blocked. Basara turned and looked at his men. He furrowed his brow when Uri and Glebe turned their weapons on him.

"What is the meaning of this?"

Hetty looked over surprised by the move. Deeks signalled to Kensi at their change of position.

Uri shrugged. "You're chasing after the wrong woman, Basara. She is Comescu. You've made enemies because you seek to kill her."

Roman gave him a quizzical expression and looked over to Hetty, before turning his attention back to Uri and his brother.

"You work for Comescu?"

"We do."

"Why would the Comescus be concerned over me? I don't understand. I'm after three Federal Agents, not Comescu."

"That is where your intel has failed you. One of the agents is Comescu. Word has reached them that you seek to kill her."

Fear crept inside of Roman, this was news to him. He looked back over to his prisoner, a wry smile crept over her face.

"No. This is a lie. She's a Fed, Green told me that she was a Federal Agent."

"Sorry, Basara. But orders are orders. Comescu want you dead."

He shook his head, he looked to his other men, but they all lowered their weapons. No one wanted to go against the Comescus.

Uri fired his weapon. Roman Basara looked defeated as the burning bullet, seared his temple and all consciousness left him.

The gunshot rang out, the LAPD SWAT moved in, under the direction of Owen Granger. Kensi and Deeks made their appearance known and all men surrendered.

Uri and Glebe had done what was required of them. They had trust that Santino would help them out of this situation.

Deeks and Kensi moved in to ensure that Hetty was unharmed.

"I'm fine, Miss Blye. Mr Deeks." They looked relieved, the Comescu move was unexpected. "It appears that for once, the Comescus have come to our aide."

"Not yours, Henrietta. Alex's." Owen Granger entered. "We need to talk." He led her out to his vehicle and headed for the boat shed. They would talk and this time, he would get the truth out of her.

Deeks and Kensi assisted LAPD with Basara's men. A call came though on Kensi's cell from Eric. "I have Nell on the phone, she's just informed me that you have a Uri and Glebe Markoff with you?" The call had come through unexpected. It had been days since he'd heard his partner's voice. He missed her, but now was not the time to catch up. She sounded a long way away, the call was breaking up but he still managed to put her through to Kensi.

"What is it, Nell?" Nell looked over to Sam and Elena, they were inside of Mexico refuelling, before they continued on their flight.

"Hey, Kens. I've just received word that you have two Russian nationals, Uri and Glebe Markoff."

"Yes, how did you know?"

"They work for the Comescus. You need to release them."

"But the Comescus are enemy to Callen."

"They were instructed by Alex's brother-in-law, Santino, to take Roman Basara out. How did that go?"

"Uri killed him."

Nell sighed with relief. "What about Hetty?"

"Granger's taken her to the boat shed. Granger filled us in on the details. We know everything."

"Good. I'll let Elena know. We should be back in L.A. in about three hours."

"Okay." Kensi looked over to Uri and Glebe Markoff and indicated to Deeks to release them. He gave her a puzzled expression, but did it anyway.

Nell looked over to Sam and nodded. He started the engine and took off, for the last leg of their flight.

**Chilcotin Mountains, British Columbia, Canada**

Oscar's cell rang, he looked at the id and smiled when he saw Owen Granger's name appear. "Hi, Owen. I hope you have some good news for us?"

"I do. Roman Basara was killed by some men hired by the Comescu family. I have Henrietta in custody. It's safe. But just to be sure, we need to wait until we know that all of Basara's men and those on Henrietta's payroll are accounted for."

Oscar smiled, finally after all of these years, Alex was safe. "Good. I'll let them know." It was time, he realised. To reunite all of Alex and Callen's family. The lake was peaceful and with this news, they could stay at this location for the time being.

Samuel was receiving all the care that he needed and was feeding well. Alex appeared much happier than she had back in Santa Barbara, the move had been medicine in itself for her. Katie was blossoming, being herself and no longer Phoebe, she was happy to have him and Gibbs back in their lives. Oscar had a few phone calls to make, but then he could enjoy the time with his daughter and her family in this idyllic location.

**Boat Shed, Los Angeles**

Owen Granger's talk with Henrietta Lange was official. With camera and microphone on, he placed her on the suspect's side of the table and began the interrogation. "For the record, could you please state your name, birth and current address."

Hetty looked over at Owen, her time had come. She sighed and gave him the details. Not only her American name, but that also of her birth name. She'd already come clean to Owen and Vance earlier, but now they knew the truth and there was no cause to continue the facade. With a heavy heart, she admitted to her orchestrating the assassination of CIA officer, Clara Callen, in Constanta back in 1975. Her search for the Callen children and her part in killing Calin Vadim in 1977 and the destruction of Gavrill Callen's life in the system.

Finally Owen Granger had what he'd wanted for a real long time. Justice for his cousin, Clara. Hetty was going away, locked in a cell for the rest of her days for two murders. He should have felt glad in his heart, but he didn't. He worried how this would affect Clara's boy. He left Hetty in cuffs as agents came to take her away.

Deeks and Kensi watched on as they stepped out of their vehicle. Neither could find a word to say to their now former boss. They looked to Granger and saw the sadness in his eyes. "I wish it hadn't come to this." Owen admitted to them.

"What now?"

"Time for a family reunion. Nell and Sam are on their way."

"They should be here by now. Nell called a few hours ago." Kensi looked at her watch. An unfamiliar vehicle entered the marina car park. They became alert but relaxed as Sam and Nell stepped out of the vehicle. They tensed and worried, when they saw Elena Alvarez appear beside them. So much like Alexa Comescu, memories of their rescue of their boss a few years earlier flashed across their minds.

"It's okay. She's Alex's sister." Owen walked over and greeted them.

"Welcome back."

"Thanks."

"You just missed Hetty, she's been taken into custody."

"So Lexi's safe?"

"We hope so. Just to be certain, they won't be back here for a while. I have the address where they are. I hope you're not sick of flying, we've got somewhere to be."

Kensi and Deeks joined them, all eyes were on Granger. "Were are we going?"

A smile crept onto Owen's face. "Paradise." They gave him a quizzical expression, the man before them was a mystery. More than they'd expected.


	32. Chapter 32

**Till Death Do Us Part**

_Disclaimer: NCISLA characters belong to Shane Brennan. All original characters and this story are mine._

* * *

**Chapter 32**

**Chilcotin Mountains, British Columbia, Canada**

Callen was leading Katie around the banks of the lake on a small pony, small enough for her to feel comfortable, but big enough for her to feel chuffed with herself. The news that they were staying longer settled well with Callen, they needed the time to feel safe and to be a family. Ever since he'd been reunited with his family, he'd been constantly working. They needed a break and where better than this picture perfect location. The air was fresh with no pollution and he could feel every muscle in his body relax. He'd noticed the change in both Alex and Katie since their arrival and he'd felt happier in himself too. Having Gibbs and Oscar with them had helped, and he spent every moment with his family, building precious memories.

A sea plane came into view, the small engine broke the sound of silence as it lowered in the sky. He stopped what he was doing with Katie and looked up. His eyes did not disconnect, while it landed on the lake. Small waves washed on the shoreline, and for a moment, memories of the Pacific Ocean returned. His eyes followed the plane to the jetty, stopping by the other two sea planes that were on standby. Who would know that they were there? He could see movement inside the plane and the pilot door opened. A huge smile spread over his face and he quickly helped Katie down from the pony and tied it to a post. "Sam's here." Katie held on tight to her father's hand as they ran over to the jetty.

"Yo, G. Now this is what I'm talking about. Finally you've found a descent place for team building."

Callen gave his partner a hug. "This ain't no team building, Sam. I'm on vacation."

"And so you should be. You work too hard." He clapped Callen's back and lifted Katie up into the air.

"How's my other girl?" Katie giggled.

"Uncle Sam."

He hugged her before releasing her.

Callen raised his brow. "Your other girl?"

"Well, you share Kamran, I share Katie. That's fair."

Callen laughed. "It's good to see you again, brother."

"You too. I have a surprise." He turned and they looked at the rest of the occupants exit the plane.

"How many of you fitted inside that thing?"

"Too many. Glad I was flying, I think it got a little too squashed in the back.

Deeks, Kensi and Nell walked up behind Sam and gave Callen a hug. Nell gave Katie a warm hug, glad to see how happy the ten year old was.

"Welcome to Paradise." Callen winked over to Katie. "Sweetheart, this is Deeks and Kensi. Friends of ours."

"Hi." She waved her hand, but stood close to her dad.

"Grandpa?" Katie saw Granger and she ran for him, but stopped when she spotted the woman beside him.

The others watched on, Callen narrowed his eyes, unsure of the woman. He knew who she was, so much like his wife. His heart beat rapidly inside his chest, ready to protect his daughter.

The woman smiled warmly at her niece. "Hello, Katie. I'm your Aunt Elena. Your mom's big sister. I've been waiting for a real long time to meet you."

"Hello." Katie was unsure, she turned to her father for reassurance.

Callen walked over and shook Owen's hand. "Thanks for bringing them all up here."

"You're welcome. Let me introduce you to Elena Alvarez, Alex's sister."

Callen shook Elena's hand. "Thank you for coming, you being here should help her. But it will be a big thing for Alex."

"I'm sure it will be, just like it is for you, Gavrill." He nodded.

"I'm sorry for everything, it's been hard to keep our distance from your lives. Even after all we learned that had happened."

Callen narrowed his eyes, slightly confused over what she said.

It was hard for Elena, it had been so long since she'd seen Gavrill, memories of their time in the attic clouded her vision. Tears welled up in her eyes. "I'm sorry. You probably don't remember me. We used to be friends."

Callen shook his head. "No, I don't. Sorry."

She nodded and wiped her tears. She sniffed, this was harder than she thought. This family were dear to her, but to them, she was a stranger.

Katie looked up to her dad, when she noticed the tears in her aunt's eyes. Callen nodded and she shortened the distance and took her hand.

The thoughtful gesture warmed Elena's heart. "Thank you, Katie."

Katie smiled up at her and led her up to the cabin. She chatted about the things she'd been doing since they'd arrived the day before at the lake.

_Had it only been the day before when they'd arrived there?_ Callen pondered. They'd done a lot and it felt they'd been there longer. He followed close behind, the team gave them the space, knowing how hard this reunion was going to be.

Katie continued her chatter and Alex looked up from feeding Samuel as she entered. Her smile dropped from her face when she saw whose hand she held. Her heart leaped into her throat. She stared at the woman who looked just like her.

"Lexi." Tears fell down Elena's face, she couldn't hold it in any further. She quickly wiped her tears as she remained by the doorway.

"Mom, Aunt Elena is here." Katie looked between her aunt and her mother, unsure what to do next. She let go of the her aunt's hand and stepped away.

Callen moved in behind Katie and kneeled down behind her, pulling her onto his lap. They stayed put as they watched two sisters who hadn't seen each other since their mother had been murdered.

Alex stood up, still cradling Samuel, who was unaware of what was going on around him. "Elena?" Her voice was barely a whisper. She furrowed her brow as she studied her.

Elena nodded. "Hello, little sis." She stepped forward and looked down at her nephew. "He's so tiny." Gently she lifted her hand out to touch the top of his head. He continued to suck, while his aunt fondly caressed him. "He's beautiful. Just like his father." She turned and looked at Callen. "You were a beautiful boy. Small for your age, your blue eyes shone out from your pale skin like an angel. We used to play in the attic and we became good friends."

Callen's heart pounded inside his chest, he tried to remember her, but he couldn't. Anything good from his early years vanished when he'd suffered cruelty in the Welfare system.

Alex looked over to him and met his gaze. She didn't know what to do. After finding out who she was and that she had an older sister, of course she wanted to meet her. But she hadn't expected Elena to look so much like her. "You look like me," she finally said.

Elena laughed. "Yes. Nell and Sam were shocked when they came to see me. We're so much like our Aunt Alexa."

Memories of Alexa Comescu from their trip to Romania returned to Callen. Now he had two women who looked just like her. The genes in their family were strong. Then he looked at his own daughter, she was like him, not them. It intrigue him, but then he remembered the photo of Elena. Blond hair and blue eyes, like he used to be.

"She's alive, you know. Our aunt."

Callen looked up at Elena with surprise. "But I saw her die." His voice felt foreign, he furrowed his brow, confused.

"She was wearing a kevlar vest, Gavrill." A sadness entered Elena's eyes at the memory.

"What happened? I only remember how shocked I was at seeing her, she was so much like…" He looked at Alex and chewed on his bottom lip. "I thought she was dead. Hunter killed her."

"This woman, Lauren Hunter, was sent to threaten me. She went in as me, but we managed to get word to family, Aunt Alexa was prepared. It is a good thing that This Hunter woman is now dead."

A memory flashed before Callen's eyes, his body tensed. "How do you know about that?" He remembered how scared she looked just before Janvier blew her up. He shuddered.

"We have our contacts." She frowned. "I do not approve of Janvier, don't get me wrong, Gavrill. I am glad that he's locked away. But, I am not sorry for him getting rid of Hunter." Anger surged through her at the memory of what Lauren Hunter did to her and her children. "I understand that you never liked her or trusted her?"

Callen nodded.

"Good. That proves that you are a good judge of character."

Callen whispered into Katie's ear and she dashed outside. He stood up and took Samuel from his wife. He looked between the two sisters and shook his head. "I still can't get over how much you're alike." He wiped the tear from Alex's cheek and kissed her temple. He left them alone to talk and to get to know each other.

Alex watched him leave, another tear replacing the one he'd wiped away. She turned and faced her sister and trembled.

"Please don't be afraid of me. I would never hurt you or your family." Elena spoke softly, understanding the need for Alex to get used to her.

"I don't understand. We're the enemy to the Callens." She looked up with despair.

Elena shook her head. "Those who had hatred for the Callens are long gone. And Hetty's been locked away for the rest of her days. It's time you met the rest of our family and realise that we're not the monsters that Hetty's painted us to be."

Anger surged through Alex. "I never trusted her. She took Gav away from me."

"I know, Lexi, I know." Alex crumbled into her sister's arms. Elena held her and soothed her, like she had when she was a baby. Alex was surprised by the comfort that Elena gave her. She had no memory, but for some reason, it felt familiar.

The sound of a vehicle driving up the road, caught Oscar and Gibbs' attention. They were chopping wood for the fire. Out in the wilderness, a fire was the best way to cook their meals. They looked up and a smile spread across Oscar's face.

"Dimitri." He hugged him and clapped him on the back. "It's so good to see you here."

"Is she here?" He looked at the man who had come to his rescue after his wife had been murdered.

"Both of your girls are here, Dim. Come, meet your family." Oscar introduced him to Gibbs and continued the climb up the stairs to the cabin.

"Alex, I have a surprise for you." The scene in front of him caught him by surprise.

Alex looked up from her sister's arms and furrowed her brow. She looked intently at the man beside her father.

"Lexi?" She was beautiful. So much like Elena and Alexa, her namesake. "You're so beautiful, like your sister. Your mother would be so proud." He choked on the emotion, a lump had formed in his throat. "I'm your Tatã." Alex shook her head, she had no memory of him.

Elena released her and hugged her dad. "Tatã." She kissed him on both cheeks. "Elena, my sweet girl. I am glad you have come. Lexi needs you." He held Alex's cheek in his hand as he looked fondly at his baby girl. "So grown up with children of your own."

Alex didn't know how to deal with her real father wrapping his arms around her. She stiffened at the contact and looked over at Oscar whose eyes were welled up by the reunion.

Oscar had waited for a long time for this moment, to see the Vadims together again. He understood Alex was on loan to him, but he loved her as if she was his flesh and blood. He noted her awkwardness, and he gave her a warm smile, through his tears. "It's okay, Ally, he's your father. You're home now."

Alex knitted her brows together, a crease deepened at the top of the bridge of her nose. Her heart thumped inside of her chest, it felt heavy and she couldn't deal with it.

She stepped back and wrapped her arms around herself, causing a barrier between herself and her family. "I'm sorry, I don't remember either of you."

Callen watched from the bedroom doorway, he wanted to wrap his arms around her and make the heartache go away. But she needed them. She needed to deal with who she really was. He stayed put, still holding their son.


	33. Chapter 33

**Till Death Do Us Part**

_Disclaimer: NCISLA characters belong to Shane Brennan. All original characters and this story are mine._

* * *

**Chapter 33**

**Chilcotin Mountains, British Columbia, Canada**

It took Alex time to adjust having her father and sister there. The cabin was busy, with so many of them staying for a while.

Callen relished having the team around, while Gibbs, Oscar and Alex were his link to his life in D.C. and now he had both of what he considered family there.

They were outside by the lake, the stars had come out, sparkling in the dark velvet sky. A coyote could be heard calling out from the other side of the lake. They'd been there four days, and they'd filled their time in outdoor activities. They were all relaxed, well almost. Alex was getting there, spending a great deal talking with Dimitri and Elena. Samuel was doing well, although she kept him inside the cabin, not wanting him to catch a cold at his age.

Callen had become accustomed to hearing Samuel's faint cries and it melted the team's heart to watch their team leader with his son. Lights in the distance caught Callen's attention as he stood up from the fire. Car lights and they were moving closer. He looked to Oscar and Granger.

"Were you expecting any visitors?"

The two men looked over in the direction and then Owen looked at his watch. "They're early."

"Who?" Callen furrowed his brow, slightly confused.

"You'll see."

He'd forgotten. After all he'd been through, he'd forgotten about his own family. He was so focused on Alex reunited with her father and sister, he'd forgotten about his own. His heart pumped heavily inside his chest, the anticipation was great. He walked over towards the car and smiled at his own father.

"Gavrill." Nikita jollied as he stepped out of the vehicle.

"Papa." He hugged him, taking in his father's scent of leather and red wine.

Callen smiled back at him. "It's about time you showed up."

"We tried getting here earlier, but we had to take so many different routes to ensure we weren't being followed."

Callen frowned for a moment, "we?"

A woman with long brown hair stepped out of the other side of the car. "Hello, Gav."

He remembered her smile, the same blue eyes stared back at her. His heart thumped inside his chest. "Amy?"

She nodded and ran around to him, wrapping her arms around him. He hugged her back, tears welled up in his eyes.

"Is it really you?" He scanned his eyes over her. "Look at you? You're so beautiful."

"You're not so bad yourself, baby brother." He missed her. Of all these years apart, he had missed her the most. It hit him with sudden rush. He chuckled. Deep in his throat it roared out into a laughter he couldn't contain.

Nikita and Amy joined him. All three of them laughed. The joy of being reunited consumed them. Then the tears rolled and they wrapped their arms around each other again. Finally, after forty years, they were together again.

Sam looked over, a smile spread across his face and nodded over to Gibbs. "Looks like G's found his family too."

Leroy Jethro Gibbs smiled and nodded. "About time." He stood up and walked over to Nikita and hugged him.

"Good to see you again, Nik."

"You too, Jethro." He nodded over to Owen and smiled.

"Thank you for taking care of my boy, Owen. Now we can be together as family."

Callen's team laughed, they saw their team leader in the Russian, whose accent reminded them very much of Arkady. Perhaps Callen had hoped that Arkady could help him find his father, but here he was without the former KGB, with his father and sister. They were happy and they all stood to shake their hands and welcome them.

Alex looked out over the fire from the cabin, she'd heard the laughter and watched on as Callen reunited with his own family. It had been much more joyful than her own, but then again, Callen remembered them. She had been too young when her mother was murdered and she became a Holden. She heard the creak of the floorboards and turned. "Dad. You should be out by the fire with everyone else."

"Why don't I look after Samuel, you go and spend time with Gavrill and the others. You can meet your sister-in-law, Amy."

She wasn't sure and hesitated. She looked over to the sleeping form of her son, trying to come up with a reason to stay.

"He's asleep, if he wakes and cries, I will call you." Oscar worried over her, the past four days had been huge for her.

She nodded. "Okay. Thanks." She hugged him and exited the cabin. Perhaps her father was right, she needed to get outside and relax with Callen and the others.

Callen's face was bright with excitement and when Alex appeared from the shadows, he stood up and grabbed her hand. "You okay?" He too worried about her, but he was pleased to see her by the fire.

Alex nodded. "Dad's looking after Samuel."

"Good. You need a break. Come, meet my sister." Callen made the introductions, Alex shook Nikita's hand and hugged Amy. They chatted a little before she sat down next to her husband. Callen wrapped his arms around her, Katie sat at their feet, mesmerised by the fire.

Elena looked over and caught her sister's gaze and smiled.

Alex smiled back and began to relax.

Dimitri watched his daughters interact quietly across the fire, pleased with the developments. It was slow, but he had expected it. Finally, they were going to have some peace.

Owen Granger sighed when his cell rang.

"Owen, we have a problem." Leon Vance sat up in his bed, pulling on his clothes, ready to drive to the office. It was the middle of the night in the nation's capitol, but the latest news meant that he needed his people up and ready.

Owen stood and walked away from the fire, he didn't want to attract attention from the others.

"What is it, Leon?" He wanted to stay, it had been four blissful days up in the mountains, horse riding, canoeing and fishing. They'd set up a volleyball net and a competition between two teams had started. They'd all needed the break after the long past year and almost a half.

"Sasha Malis disguised himself as a prison guard into Atwater Prison and managed to walk out with Adam Green."

Anger and fear surged through Owen. "When?"

"Two hours ago. I've only just been alerted. I'm sorry, Owen, but you have to keep them where they are until they're found and arrested."

"There's enough of us here to protect them. No one will leave until they're found."

"I agree. Be on guard, Owen. Stay safe."

"Will do, Leon. Thanks for the call." Owen looked over to the party, he could hear Deeks telling a funny story. He walked back to rejoin the group and hid the news from them. For now he would tell only those who needed to know. If he could, he would keep this news from Callen and Alex. They needed this time of peace after all they'd been through. He and the others would do what it took to protect them.

Alex and Callen took Katie up to the cabin to settle her for the night. They stayed up there, spending time alone with each other and their son, who decided to wake up an hour later for a feed. Callen loved this time with his family and he was finally settled. Both he and Alex had family with them and they were safe.

But unknowns to them, and it was a good thing that they were oblivious to what was going on, Owen pulled Oscar, Gibbs and Sam to the side for a chat. One by one, they received the hint from the Assistant Director, whilst Deeks and Kensi entertained Alex and Callen's families.

"Leon called me earlier. We have a problem." Sam, Gibbs and Oscar listened intently.

"How did Malis even find Green? His location was kept secret, even Hetty had no idea where he was sent." Sam shook his head, when was his partner and his family ever going to be safe? "It was suppose to be temporary until Vance could send him to Guantanamo. He promised G he would."

"I know Director Vance promised Callen that he would organise Green's move there, Sam. However, the paperwork needed to be processed first. But now we need to focus on protecting Callen, Alex and Gibbs."

"I can protect myself. Callen and Alex too, but I worry that Alex is not in the right state of mind at the moment." Gibbs synapses worked fast, thinking how they could solve this case before danger found them.

"Roman Basara is dead, Malis is only his run to man. Perhaps he's not aware about Basara being dead and he is still working on his direction. Has Leon mentioned anything about making Basara's death public?"

"No. He was just heading back to the Navy Yard when he called me."

Then it hit Gibbs. "Have you got an image of the dead Basara?"

Owen Granger looked over towards the fire. "No, but I'm sure Deeks or Kensi would." He wanted to keep this quiet, away from OSP for now.

"I'll ask Deeks."

Owen Granger made the 50 yard walk back to the fire and caught Deeks' attention. Fortunately he wasn't in the midst of a story and he left the fire with him. The two men walked over to the others before Granger spoke.

"Have you got a photo of Roman Basara after he was shot?"

"Yes, I do in fact." Deeks pulled his cell out and showed them. "He was shocked when his so called hired men turned on him. Thank goodness they were on the Comescu payroll."

"That's not Basara." Anger surged through Gibbs' veins. He looked over to the others. "This is Sasha Malis."

"You sure?" Nell confirmed his identity when he entered the country. Owen Granger shook his head in disbelief.

"When we rescued Alex in Donetsk, this was not Roman Basara. Have you got an image of Malis?" Gibbs looked at the image Owen showed him. His jaw tensed and his blue eyes bore into the image. "This is Roman Basara, the man we dealt with in Donetsk."

"But Green met this guy at a bar, talking as if he was Malis."

"If that's the case, then I don't think Green really knew who the real Basara was," Gibbs added.

"This is the man who tortured and…" even after this time, he couldn't say exactly what Alex had suffered, "who almost killed Alex." He fisted his hands at his side and looked over towards the cabin. He would do what it took to keep her safe from Basara and Green. Never again did he want to see Alex or any woman in that state again.

"Then it's a deal then. We protect Alex from Green and Basara at all costs. There are enough of us here to keep her safe." Owen looked between them. "This stays between us."

"We can get Kensi to help," Deeks added.

"No." Gibbs shook his head. "I don't want Kensi anywhere near Basara, not after what he did to Alex.

Deeks saw the determination in him and nodded. "Okay."

"I'll take first watch," Gibbs decided.

"We need two on watch at all times," Oscar added.

"Good. Sounds like a plan." Owen agreed. "Sam and Deeks take second watch. I'll take the third watch with whoever is up first." They set their watches and nodded.

Everyone began to drift off to the large cabin one by one, as they succumbed to sleep. Deeks led Kensi up to their room and fell off to sleep immediately, surprising Kensi. But they'd had a few busy days outdoors, and she thought he was just exhausted. She nestled beside him and drifted off to sleep, unaware of his early departure at three in the morning.


	34. Chapter 34

**Till Death Do Us Part**

_Disclaimer: NCISLA characters belong to Shane Brennan. All original characters and this story are mine._

* * *

**Chapter 34**

**Somewhere in California — three days later**

Adam Green was thankful for Sasha Malis breaking him out, but they couldn't find Basara anywhere. Word finally came to them about the ambush and Basara's death. Green shook his head, his last chance of escape out of the country had died with him.

"Forget it, Sasha. Roman was my last hope to get out of here. You go home."

His companion was unusually quiet. Adam began to pack his bag, when Malis held his arm.

"I need you to find these agents. You know who they are." The evil glint in Malis' eyes caught Adam off guard.

"Why? Basara is dead. My life is over and now I'm on the run."

"No." Adam looked at the Ukranian with confusion.

"I never told you for my protection. These agents know who I really am. I am Roman Basara."

Adam's eyes widened in shock. "You are? But I always thought, you told me you were Sasha. I don't understand?"

"I've always had Sasha go in as me, but after you left, I dealt with the woman. She was mine and I did what I wanted with her. She knows me and so do the men who traded for her." Anger laced his lips. They had fooled him and his pride was at stake.

Adam Green watched on and he knew in that instant that this man would not stop until Holden, Callen and Gibbs were found and killed. A knot twisted in his stomach and he ran for the bathroom. He heaved out the contents and wiped his mouth clean. He stared at himself in the mirror, what had he become?

"Green, hurry up, we've got to go and find them."

Green exited the bathroom and grabbed his bag. "I have no idea where they are."

"But you know the office, this secret place where your people work. You will take me there."

Green narrowed his eyes. He knew he had no choice, but he didn't like facing Granger, Hetty or the rest of the team. He nodded and climbed into the driver's seat and headed for the mission.

**Office of Special Projects**

Eric Beale disconnected the call to their Director, who advised him that the building was to remain on lock down. Beale was alone and he was thankful for that. At least if Green turned up with Malis, they couldn't get to him locked up in the high tech room.

Another call came through, this time it was Granger.

"Beale, you need to have the mission on lock down."

"Already done, Sir."

"Are the tunnels secure? Green knows about them, after the mole incident and then Draeger."

Eric knew too, just how much Green knew the lay of the building. "They have been locked down, Sir. I've just got off the phone from Director Vance."

"It's not Malis, it's Basara. Be careful, Beale."

Eric Beale's glasses shifted in his lurch. "But we watched Basara being shot dead inside of Dovecote."

"That was Malis. He's done a Janvier on us."

Eric shook his head. This was bad news. It was one thing to think that you had the bad guy dead, but to discover that he was only the fall guy, this wasn't good at all. "So you're saying that Malis is really Basara and the dead Basara is Malis?" He gulped.

"Yes." Granger was frustrated over the situation enough, he was glad Eric got the gist of the matter.

"I'll disconnect the power to the building,"

"No. Stay where you are. Shut down all lights and stay low. I know you're safe in there, Beale, don't leave until we know it's clear. Vance is sending you a team into deal with them. Do not answer anymore calls, unless it's Vance or myself."

"Yes, Sir."

Eric scanned the building from where he sat, all security images came up on his screen. The shutters on all windows and doors had been released, and no one could look inside Ops where he sat.

He needed a distraction. Something to soothe his mind, or his nerves were going to get the better of him.

Music. He needed music to get him through what he knew would be a long night. He dug out his headphones and shoved them on his head and ears.

He gathered his laptop and looked around him. In the far corner of the room was a cupboard with necessary items for such an occasion. It was a good thing that Nell had restocked it before she left.

He pulled out a blanket, pillow, snack food and water. It was times like this when he missed Nell. He could really do with her company and words of encouragement right now.

Movement outside caught Eric's attention, an unfamiliar vehicle pulled up out front. He watched closely, without the cameras moving. If they moved, then Green would know that he was in.

Green tried his access code and cursed when it refused to unlock the door.

"Is there another way in?"

Green turned and thought back to the secret tunnels he'd entered with Sam, when they had a mole holding Beale hostage.

"Yes, this way." He led Basara along the side of the building and a smile crept across his lips when he found it.

The two men entered, but a look of confusion swept over Green, who for the life of him couldn't remember the direction into the mission. It took almost an hour of walking up dead ends and into different buildings in the area, before Green found the right one. They entered with their weapons at the ready. It was dark and still, no one should be there, but just in case, they were at the ready.

Cameras hidden in the tunnels for such purposes switched onto infrared mode, catching the movements of Green and Basara.

Eric watched their movements and smiled when they hit the secure gate.

"I don't know where this came from, it wasn't here the last time."

Basara studied the gate. "This is too secure for us to get in. They must know I've gotten you out. Is there another place where we can go?"

Green nodded. "Boat Shed. It's down at the marina, it won't take long."

Basara kept his cool, he needed Green, he'd put up with his lack of memory in getting inside the building. It appeared to be as secure as the tower of London. He hoped the Boat Shed would be easier to get inside.

**Boat Shed**

Entering the boat shed had been easy. Basara looked around what looked more like a club house than a Federal safe house and he walked through the building, looking for a clue on where they could find the missing agents.

"Callen was here. When I was arrested, he barged in and pinned me against the wall." Green told Basara the events that took place the last time he was there.

**Ops Centre**

Eric Beale dialled Granger immediately. "They've broken into the boat shed. There's nothing in there that clues to where Callen and his family are?" Even Eric had been kept in the dark, just in case. And with Green and Basara on the loose, it was a good thing.

"No. No one knew the location except for Oscar and myself."

"Good." Eric sighed with relief. "They're not going to find them, are they?"

"Not if we can help it. Stay where you are for the remainder of the night. Wait till we know they've left L.A." Granger didn't want to take any chances on Green finding Beale, after him breaking into Nell's so called apartment.

**Chilcotin Mountains, British Columbia, Canada**

There appeared to be too many sleepy eyes when Callen and Alex pulled themselves from the confines of their bedroom. Katie had climbed in and joined them around six, when Samuel woke up for a feed. It was nice, Callen enjoyed this family time together and he wished that somehow they could afford a place like this to escape to for a week here and there later on.

"Morning." Deeks yawned as he stretched himself out.

"Morning, Deeks. Where is everyone?" Callen looked out over the lake and saw Kensi and Nell already canoeing.

"They don't wait around, do they?"

"No. Kens was gone when I awoke."

"Did you sleep last night?" Callen studied him more closely.

"Yeah, why?"

"You're normally more full of energy than this. Anyone would think you've been up on a stakeout or something."

Deeks shrugged. "What out here?" He gave him a look as to say, don't be so ridiculous.

Sam entered and walked straight to the coffee machine.

"Hey big guy. Did you swap yourself with a grizzly overnight or something?" Callen smirked at the glare his partner gave him.

"Just because you can survive on such little sleep, doesn't mean the rest of us can."

"You didn't sleep either?" He looked between Deeks and Sam, curiously.

"Don't look at me." Deeks held his hand up. "I was out like a shot, last night."

"Poker. You two were up late playing poker without me. Weren't you?" He darted his eyes between the two, trying to find out the truth.

Sam raised his brow slowly and nodded. "Yeah. Poker." He turned his attention back to the coffee machine and watched the dark brown liquid exude out into his cup. When it was done, he took a sip, savouring the flavour and aroma. After this he just might feel normal.

Callen chuckled and pushed the button down on the toaster and threw bacon into the pan.

"You know, G, you need to eat healthier than bacon and eggs for breakfast every morning." Sam grabbed his muesli from the fridge which had soaked overnight and he added fresh pear and coconut cream.

"I'm on vacation. If I can't enjoy food on vacation, when can I?" He looked over to his partner's ultra healthy breakfast and shook his head.

"I don't know how you survive on that?" He nodded to Sam's muesli.

"It's better for you than that stuff. It won't clog your arteries and I'll be outrunning you later up that hill.

Callen's eyes darted up the hill and gave a nervous laugh. "That is not a hill. That is a mountain. We're not running up that thing."

"Oh yes we are. Just because we're out here, doesn't mean that we can't train. You better hope that your bacon doesn't slow you down, G." Sam chuckled at Callen's silence. He needed the distraction from the worry that had returned for his partner and his family. This would be perfect.

Deeks watched the banter between the senior partners and grinned like a cheshire cat.

Callen spotted it and immediately spoke up. "I wouldn't grin like that, Deeks, you're coming too. If I have to run up that mountain, so do you, Kensi and Nell. Call it team building." A smirk crossed Callen's lips, satisfied that if his partner was going to push him through the paces, then he could pass the pain onto the rest of the team.

**An hour later**

Oscar, Granger and Gibbs looked on amused at the younger agents, as they changed into their running gear and grabbed a bottle of water and set their watches. They were joined by Dimitri and Nikita and they became the cheering crowd for the event.

Nell looked over to Callen and winked ready for the challenge. This was the first time Nell could really show her peers what she was made of. She had trained up the mountains in Argentina on her days off, this really should be easy for her. Although it had been a few years running up mountains, Nell was confident even with her shorter legs, that she could make the distance.

They stretched out their muscles and lined up. Granger took control and raised a make shift flag. Katie jumped up and down on the sidelines, cheering for her dad to win. The flag dropped and the agents ran, up the so called hill, the track had been lined out on a map by Sam, they all knew exactly where they were going.

The fresh air entered their lungs, their muscles and determination pushed them up the track, higher and higher. The view up the top was amazing, but they didn't have the time to stop to enjoy it. This was a race and Sam was determined to win it, even if it was to prove a point to his partner about his choice in diet. It was a fight of wills, as the agents ran and huffed air out of their lungs. Their muscles screamed out at them and their lungs burned. But they felt alive, this was living. They inhaled the pine from the trees, so fresh compared to Los Angeles.

They should do this more often, Callen thought. He could see him and Alex training up there everyday. She should be out there with them. He would try tomorrow to get her to join them. The track slipped away, downwards, towards the lake. This is where they had to slow down, or else risk an injury. They were all close, Sam remained in front, Deeks not far behind him and the girls at the back. But they each proved what they were made of.

Their legs slipped and almost tripped over roots and logs, but they continued the race, approaching the lake sooner than they realised. As they neared the finish line, a growl was heard, startling them all. A young grizzly bear, about two years old was eating wild flowers in the field. He lifted his head at the sound of pounding, each of them coming to a standstill by the edge of the meadow, crashing into each other.

"He's so cute," Nell whispered.

"Where's the camera when you need it?" Deeks added.

Slowly they moved to the far end of the meadow, the race had dissipated as they watched the grizzly play.

"That has to be the most adorable grizzly I've ever seen," Kensi commented.

"So the next time you call me a grizzly, I'll take that as a compliment." Deeks jested and received a slight punch to his arm. He grinned, satisfied his remark hit the spot.

Sam and Callen chuckled at the pair. "One day those two will grow up," Sam mumbled to his partner, Callen agreed.

The others were surprised to see them walk the last hundred yards of the race. Katie ran over to them, her excitement of the race still had her full of energy.

"Why isn't anyone running?" Callen picked her up and placed her on his shoulders. "Want to see a baby grizzly?"

"Yes, please." He turned back with her and took her back up to the meadow.

Katie slipped down and the pair crouched down behind a tree and watched.

"He's so beautiful. Is he safe?"

"Us or him?"

"No one will hurt him, will they?"

He realised in that instant that Katie never felt fear for herself around the small grizzly. "No, sweetheart. No one will hurt him up here."

"Good." She nodded and focused back on the grizzly.

"But we should keep our distance, they're wild animals and just incase his mama is around."

Katie looked up at him with wonder. "They wouldn't hurt us, would they?"

He didn't want to smash her thoughts over the bear, but he needed to warn her about how powerful they were.

"They wouldn't mean to. They're just very strong, those claws are sharp. If they felt threatened, they just might run at us."

"Oh." She pulled at his hand. "Let's go then, Daddy. I don't want to scare it."

He gave her a warm smile and they walked back to the cabin, her hand in his.


	35. Chapter 35

**Till Death Do Us Part**

_Disclaimer: NCISLA characters belong to Shane Brennan. All original characters and this story are mine._

* * *

**Chapter 35**

**Vancouver, Canada — four days later**

It was incredible what money could buy. Roman Basara had dealt in many forms of trade: women, weapons, drugs, money and information. It was the latter he sought now and his money had paid off.

It had lead him to this beautiful city on the west coast of Canada. He shouldn't have been surprised that they'd crossed the border, but to hide them from himself and Green, they had no other choice. They would have stood out in Mexico, this would have been the obvious choice outside the States, that is.

He and Green met a man who informed them of the small jet that had come in just over a week earlier, with a small baby on board. That was what tipped them off, a small baby, one that should have stayed in hospital when born eight weeks early.

A midwife had been hired for the journey, she'd given them the intel, and afterwards, he'd slit her throat. The last thing he needed was for the woman to tip the American authorities of their movements. He was close and he was certain that it wouldn't be long before they found them.

**Chilcotin Mountains, British Columbia, Canada — one week later**

"You know, Sam, I love you. But when are you heading home to Michelle and Kamran?"

Sam looked ahead as they paddled their canoe across the lake. He missed his family, but he had a job to do and he swore he would see it through.

"Michelle and Kam are in San Francisco with her sister. You know what I think of that pied-Ã -terre."

Callen smirked. "And her three cats."

Sam rolled his eyes. The plan to send them away to Michelle's sister was a good one, one that Callen wouldn't suspect. "Yeah. Out here with you, G, is much better for my soul."

Callen nodded, but he and Alex had wondered. "What about the others? Deeks, Kensi and Nell. I mean, don't you all have jobs to go back to?"

No one had mentioned what happened back in Los Angeles when Hetty was taken away. Arrested for two murders, his mother, Clara, and Alex's mother, Calin. Ironic, really, that Hetty had been behind both of their murders. The only detail had been given to them by Oscar.

"We're all waiting on word from Granger on when we're to return home."

Callen stopped paddling and turned to face him. He studied him for a moment before looking him straight in the eyes. Those vibrant blue eyes pierced through the soft brown exterior of Sam's. Sam knew they could no longer hide the truth from him.

"We're your assignment, aren't we?" He'd relaxed there by the lake, enjoyed family time with Alex and their children and getting to bond with both of their fathers and sisters, who'd come to be with them. Callen also enjoyed having Gibbs around, it was good for Alex to have an old friend there too, as well as her father. But having the team had filled in any awkward moments between the family reunion. They were a distraction, spending every day training, as Sam put them all through their paces. Callen could see that Sam had taken on the team leader role seriously and he did it well.

"Yes."

Callen scanned the area, he returned to agent mode immediately.

"We didn't want you or Alex to worry. You've both been through so much already. You needed a break, time to relax."

"I know we had to hide from Hetty, Sam. But she was arrested, Oscar told us. But no one will tell us the details on why or how. Green and Hetty are both behind bars and Basara is dead. What threat could this Sasha Malis be?"

Sam looked over to him, he still had no idea about his own mother. He sighed.

"What?" His eyes widened, Sam was holding back.

"Hetty admitted to arranging your mother's death."

The air around them fell silent. They had stopped moving on the lake as the news sunk into Callen. He fisted his hands around the paddle.

"It was Alexa Comescu who found you on the beach and consoled you." Sam gave him space, only telling him pieces and gave him the time he needed to take it all in.

He remembered the shock of seeing her in that room. So much like Alex, but older. Anger should have raged within him, but he felt numb.

"I want to see her. I need to talk with her." The look Callen gave him, sent shivers up his spine.

"You can't leave here, G. None of us can."

"Why? Because of this Sasha Malis? What threat could he be to us, with Green locked up and Basara dead?" He was determined. He wanted to call Director Vance and arrange the meeting immediately.

"We got it wrong. It's Malis who's dead, not Basara. He did a Janvier on us, G. Gibbs was the one who realised the ploy."

Fear radiated from his eyes for his wife." But that's not all, G.. Green's escaped from jail. Vance never got him to Guantanamo. Basara got him out."

"What! He turned his attention to the cabin, he could see Alex sitting out on the deck and she waved at them. He waved back, but worry grew within him.

"I'm sorry, G. We thought we had Basara sorted and Green locked away."

The sadness in Sam's eyes softened him. His partner and brother as well as the rest of the team had stayed on for Alex. And for him and Gibbs. All three of them were at threat, now that Green had burned them as well. Callen's heart pounded heavily in his chest, worry spread across his features and his whole body tensed. "She can't know. She sleeps through the night, except for when she has to feed Samuel. I can't have her go back to having those nightmares again."

Sam placed his hand on his shoulder and squeezed it gently. "That's why we've been taking turns on lookout during the night."

"Not poker then?" Callen sighed. "I would have preferred you and Deeks playing poker than this." Callen scanned the area again. "They could be hiding anywhere around here and we wouldn't know."

"What's the likelihood of them finding us here, G? We're miles away from anywhere."

Callen shook his head. "I don't like it one bit, Sam. I feel it here." He pointed to his gut. Now he knew what was going on, his gut clenched tight.

"We're all here for you, G. We'll do what it takes to protect Alex, you and Gibbs."

"Gibbs and I can take care of ourselves."

"That's what Gibbs said."

"Alex would too, if she knew. But she's not ready to be in the firing line, Sam. Not with the post natal depression and dealing with who she really is. I understand what that's like, it eats at the very core of your soul."

"I know, G. I know." Sam had watched each bit of news about who he was and who his family were, chip at him over the years. I took a great deal of strength to deal with it and push it to the side and live your life.

**Washington D.C.**

Hetty heard the key in the lock and looked over towards the door. When it opened she had expected a guard, not Leon Vance.

"Henrietta. Come with me."

She rose, her body stiff from the confined spaces and age weathered bones.

Leon led her through the corridors that eventually led to the outside world. It had been cold inside her cell, creeping slowly into her very soul. The stark contrast of the bright sun caused her to squint. He opened the door to the vehicle and she climbed inside. She remained silent as the driver left the prison behind them, for their destination.

Henrietta Lange stared out at the unfamiliar building. Grey concrete structure of no distinct detail or name. The vehicle came to a standstill and Leon stepped out. "This way." She crawled out and looked around her. She'd expected the Navy Yard, a parade of her crimes displayed in front of the whole of the NCIS' office. She had not expected this. She followed the Director towards solid steel doors, he scanned his iris to gain access. She could hear every step she made, something that she was not accustomed to. Normally she wore shoes that were of soft sole, enabling her to creep up on her people or enemy, unaware.

Leon led her into a small room, not much bigger than her cell. A mirrored wall on one side where she suspected someone to be observing. But who exactly, she had no idea. She noted the security camera and suspected a microphone to be somewhere around. She sat in the seat appointed and felt the heat of being the mouse. The cat, Leon, sat opposite her, keeping his distance. But she wondered how long he would contain himself, before he pounced.

He tapped his fingers on the table as he thought about how he would approach her. She was highly skilled in spy craft and the defence arts. But he refused to feel threatened by her.

"Leon, what is this about? Owen took my statement, I've made my confession."

Leon studied her, he saw the acceptance for her fate. "You lied to me, Henrietta. You told me that you killed Calin Vadim to protect Agent Callen from the Comescus."

She remained silent, waiting for him to continue.

"You lied to Agent Callen. He trusted you. It says in here," he pointed to the file, "that you took him in at fifteen, to protect him from going down the wrong path."

Hetty was accustomed to listening and listening she was.

"From his records that I have now full access to, it appears that he was moved around to thirty-seven foster homes and two orphanages. That is a hell of a lot. What have to you say for your actions with regards to this?"

She pursed her lips and looked straight into his brown eyes. "My original intentions were not what they became, Leon. His grandfather killed my father. It destroyed my mother. Ruined my life. I left when I was seventeen, I fought for myself to be the woman I've become. Not from anyone else assisting me. Learned the English language and became Henrietta Lange. I had a new purpose, a fresh start." She took in a deep breath and slowly released it. "Then Clara Callen turned up at Langely. I couldn't believe it. The last time I had seen her, she was only a baby. Happiness was radiating from her. I had worked hard to be where I was, but she, as George Callen's daughter, was given favouritism."

"You were her handler for her Romanian case. Infiltrating Eastern European crime families. Your own, one of them."

A chuckle escaped her throat. "Huh. Like they were much of a threat to anyone after George Callen destroyed them."

Leon merely raised one brow, surprised by her attitude, after all she'd so called pulled together to prove to him about their threat against Agent Callen.

"That's not what you put forward to me, Henrietta. You brought the case to me, remember? To prevent Agent Callen from following you to Romania. Yet, he followed just the same."

A small smile crept over her face. "Yes, he did. I had trained him well. He was loyal to me."

"He would had died for you."

"Yes." He saw the glint of achievement in her eyes.

"Tell me about Clara Callen."

Hetty shrugged. "I tried to befriend her, but she looked down on me as if I was nothing. She had this carefree spirit and a drive for success. The combination made her one of the best at Langely. She was fluent in her home tongue and she was sent there to infiltrate my family and others as a student." Hetty shifted in her seat and folded her hands on her lap. "She vanished, I tried to find her. Nine years underground and suddenly she appears out of nowhere, urgently requesting for my help."

"What did you do?"

"I set up a rendezvous on the beach, outside my family's beach house. Paid some employees of the family's to kill her."

"What about her children?"

"Aah, yes, her children." She rubbed her bottom lip between her fingers as she thought back to 1975. "I did not know about the children until after Clara had been eliminated."

"Why did you kill her?"

"Members of my family made a pack, that all of George Callen's bloodline would be destroyed. I merely carried out my family's wishes."

"I've been told that your cousin, Alexa Comescu, whom Agent Hunter killed back in 2011, found the children and took them into the family home."

"That she did," Hetty sighed. "She adored Clara and her mother."

"You told Agent Callen that it was you who had a close relationship with Clara and her mother. Now you are saying that was Alexa Comescu?"

She tensed her jaw. "Yes."

"Am I correct here that it was Alexa who sent the children to America with her sister, Calin, to keep them safe from you?"

"Yes."

A shiver ran down Leon Vance's spine at the ease in which she answered.

"But that wasn't quite right." Hetty added. "The children were taken by Alexa's brother-in-law, Dimitri first. He hid them in separate parts of the country, the girl in Los Angeles, the boy here. Then when Calin arrived in the country with her daughter, Elena, she took Mr Callen into her home. It took me two years to find him, in which time, Calin had given birth to another daughter, Alexa."

"You hunted your own cousin down and killed her, in your search for Agent Callen. Am I correct, Henrietta?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because I had a plan for him." A smile returned to her lips. "That I would destroy any good in him and make him suffer."

"Well that explains the numerous abuse he suffered by foster fathers who should never had allowed children in their care. But why take him home with you when he was fifteen?"

"I saw something in him that interested me. Inherited talents that I'd seen in both his mother and father."

Leon looked surprised.

"Oh I knew who his father was, Leon. Let's just say, I've been too good for my own good at lying for all of these years. Eventually the lie become the truth."

So you decided to train him, to become an agent.

"Yes, I did. Along with my other charges, not that Mr Callen ever knew about them."

"Lauren Hunter. Tell me about her."

Her eyes misted over. "She was the perfect child. Sweet and she loved me as if I was her mother. She was supposed to be a distraction for Mr Callen, when he was older.

"But Agent Holden got in the way."

"Yes. Although I had no idea they were married, nor about their child." Anger slipped out. "He was suppose to fall for Lauren and only her."

"But he didn't trust her." Leon remembered back to when Agent Hunter filled in for Hetty. Callen butted heads with her. A smile hinted on the edge of his lips, pleased with the outcome.

"No." She replied, her voice clipped.

"It must have been hard when Janvier killed her."

She pierced his soul with a look that made him shudder. "He was suppose to kill Mr Callen. Not my beautiful Lauren." Her voice softened when she spoke about Hunter.

"You set him on Agent Callen?"

"Yes." She tensed her jaw slightly annoyed.

Leon Vance shook his head. "You do realise that you're going away for a real long time, Henrietta?"

She shrugged. "Do you think I have that much time left, Leon?"

He narrowed his eyes. "You're ill."

"Yes. The timing is perfect. My doctor told me I have about a year left, if I am lucky." A cynical laugh escaped her lips.

"It has been requested that you don't return to your prison cell. Someone with your history, needs something more isolated."

She tilted her head, surprised by this.

"I have the perfect location." Leon stood and left her alone. He stepped inside the adjoining room. "Are you satisfied?"

Clara Callen nodded. She'd wanted to speak with her in person, but felt it was more important to keep the illusion alive. A tear escaped and she quickly wiped it away.

"Where are you taking her?"

"Somewhere where no one can find her, inescapable and she'll receive the medical treatment she will need for her illness."

"You knew already that she was dying?" Clara had observed Leon's lack of surprise at Hetty's admission.

"Yes. I had a warrant issued to her doctor and he had no choice but to provide the full extent of her illness to me."

"What exactly does she have?"

"Brain tumour. It's been lodged inside her brain for a long time. It may have caused her illogical obsession with your son."

Clara nodded. "It was a good thing that Alexa was able to arrange the facade of my death. I'm just sorry that Hetty found my Gavrill and did all of those things to him. I…" her voice broke with emotion. "I failed him, Leon. He grew up alone, no name, no family. It wasn't suppose to happen like that. Alexa promised me that Calin would take care of him. Owen held his end of the bargain taking care of Amelia."

Leon placed his hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Clara. Owen tried, Nikita tried. But we managed to get him out of her hold. It's time you reunited with your family. I will take you personally."

"Thank you, Leon." Clara wiped her tears. It was not going to be an easy reunion. After forty years, they all thought she was dead.


	36. Chapter 36

**Till Death Do Us Part**

_Disclaimer: NCISLA characters belong to Shane Brennan. All original characters and this story are mine._

* * *

**Chapter 36**

**Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada — three days later**

Forty years had been too long for Clara Callen to live her life without her family. Her husband, the kind man that he was, her best friend and cousin, Owen, and her two precious children.

Leon Vance and Clara Callen landed in a small British Columbian town, towards the east of the state, called Kamloops. The town was built beside a large lake, the scenery was breathtaking. They carried their bags from the small jet, over to a sea plane, tied to a jetty.

"We're taking this, we're almost there," Leon advised her. "Oscar, thanks for meeting us." Leon shook their pilot's hand.

Oscar studied the woman beside Leon, curious to know who she was. "Is it wise to bring anyone else into this, Leon?" He spoke to him quietly, unsure if he should take them to the others.

"I should introduce you." Leon turned and smiled at his companion. "Oscar Holden, meet Clara Callen, Gavrill's mother."

Oscar's eyes widened, surprised. He held his hand out to greet her. He opened his mouth, but he was speechless.

"Hello, Oscar. I've heard good things about you from Alexa," she gave him a warm smile.

"You've been alive all of this time?" He looked between Leon and Clara, shocked.

"Yes." Darkness overcame her, "unfortunately, I've had to hide and I couldn't protect my children."

"I'm sorry, Clara. Nikita and your children will be so happy to see you."

"I hope so." Uncertainty after all this time on how they will take her just showing up like this, filled her mind.

"They will. I know they will." He gave her an encouraging smile and helped her inside the sea plane.

"I told them I was getting supplies. I only half lied." He nodded into the rear of the plane, where supplies of food and other necessary items were packaged and tied into place.

**Chilcotin Mountains, British Columbia, Canada**

It was another beautiful sunny day, the air was still and the occupants of the lakeside cabin in the Chilcotin mountains, were outside making the most of their location.

Callen was standing on the jetty with Gibbs and Katie beside him, fishing. So far they'd caught four rainbow trout, they were aiming for enough to feed them all dinner that night. It had become a common activity to fish there by Tyaughton Lake.

Oscar had left a few hours earlier for supplies and they had expected for him to have returned by now. Callen never mentioned his concern to Gibbs, with Katie being there. However, he would look in the direction of where he headed, every so often.

"He'll be back soon," Gibbs told him, noticing the looks Callen gave into the perfect blue sky.

"I know," Callen replied, hiding his uncertainty. But just then they heard the engine of the sea plane and looked up.

"Grandpa's back." Katie's face beamed with the most beautiful smile, melting Callen and Gibbs' heart.

"Yes, he is." Gibbs ruffled her hair and pulled in his next catch. "And so is our dinner."

Callen shook his head, "that's five, Jethro. When are you going to leave some for us?"

"You've had your chance, they like my bait more." He smirked over to Callen and gave Katie a wink.

"Uncle Jethro, you're funny." Katie wrapped her arms around his chest and watched the sea plane make a smooth landing on the lake.

They watched the plane travel on the water's surface until it reached their location.

"Grandpa will need our help bringing the supplies up to the cabin." Callen mentioned, curious to know where his father-in-law had gone for their supplies, considering the length of time he'd been away.

"I wonder what he's brought us?" A hint of excitement was evident in his daughter's eyes.

"Twinkies for Kensi." Callen jested and Katie laughed.

"Tootsie pops for you, Dad."

"I'll share them with you, if he has." He threw in his line, in hope of a bite this time. Their time by the lake had been perfect, but the news that Sam had admitted to three days earlier, didn't sit well with him. So far he had managed to hide it from Alex, but for how long? She was a well seasoned agent, she picked up on things just as easily as he did. They'd both wondered and talked about it, why they stayed with them for so long. Now he knew the truth, he was determined to keep it from her.

Katie left her line and ran over to her grandpa as he stepped out of the plane.

"What did you buy us, Grandpa?"

Oscar smiled at his granddaughter. "Lots of things."

Her eyes widened when she saw a familiar face. She turned to her grandpa. "Mom and Dad's boss is here?"

"Hello, Katie. Wow, you've grown so much since I last saw you." It had been seventeen months since he'd seen Callen, Alex or Katie and now they had an addition to the family.

"Hello, Mr Vance." Her smile vanished when she spotted the woman, she was beautiful.

"Hello. You must be Katie. I've heard a lot about you."

She looked between her grandpa and Vance, unsure of the visitor.

"Are you a midwife to help my mom take care of my brother?"

The woman smiled. "No, I'm not."

Callen watched on, his heart thumped in his chest. Why had Vance brought in a stranger? He narrowed his eyes, studying her. There was something familiar about her. He knew that voice, but from where?

The woman turned and spotted him. A fish nibbled on his line, taking his attention from her, for a moment. He reeled the fish in, unhooked it and slit it's throat. He added it to the collection of Gibbs' catches. He heard the footsteps come closer, but he was distracted by his catch.

"Gavrill?" Her voice was soft, with uncertainty.

He turned and was surprised by her knowing who he was. "Have we met before?" He'd placed his defences up immediately, a fact that hadn't gone unnoticed by Gibbs or the woman.

"We knew each other from a long time ago." She was trying with all she had to remain calm. She'd waited so long for this moment. To see her son. But he wasn't making it easy for her.

Callen looked over to Vance. "Why have you brought another person into this, Director?" He thought they were in hiding, but so far, it appeared too many knew of their location already. Before long they'd have all of NCIS at their disposal. But this woman didn't look like she could do much to protect Alex from Basara or Green.

"You don't remember me, do you?" Her voice quavered, showing the cracks under her facade of remaining calm.

"No, I don't. Who are you and why are you here?" His jaw tensed, not liking the effect this woman's presence was having on him.

He heard heavy footsteps hit the jetty from behind and he turned quickly to see who it was. His father. He would have relaxed if it hadn't been for the shocked look in his father's eyes. He turned back to the woman and looked between her and his father. A myriad of emotions ravaged through his body and watched on helpless, unable to move as his father continued to walk over to them.

"Clara?" Nikita's voice broke the silence of the still summer day.

Callen's eyes snapped to the woman, tears streamed down her face.

"Nik." He watched on as his father embraced her, wrapping his thick strong arms around her slim build. Callen expected her to break under his hold, but she didn't. She wrapped her own arms around him and choked on a sob.

"I can't believe this, you're alive?"

"Yes. I'm sorry, Nik. I had to hide. Hetty tried to kill me. I had to make her think she'd succeeded."

"We were told that you were killed on the beach." Nikita looked over to his son, he saw the confusion in his face.

"Gavrill, it's okay. Your Mama is alive."

He stepped back almost into Gibbs and manoeuvred around him and bolted. He ran from the jetty, up the hill, away from the cabin and from people. He needed to clear his head. This couldn't be true. He saw her dead. The men in suits on the beach, the tin soldier, her laugh. He remembered it all. How long had he tried to wake her to make her laugh again?

Callen fell to his knees, his lungs and muscles in his legs screamed out. He'd pushed himself high up the mountain, emotion overwhelming him. His mother was dead. He'd killed Comescus in their beach house in revenge. And in his cause to rescue Hetty from them. He furrowed his brow, as memories of him and his team's assault on the body guards who protected Alexa Comescu and anyone else inside that house between them and Hetty.

So much of his life had been a lie. Since that day on the beach, people, family, who were suppose to protect and nurture him, had played with his life. Hid the truth and he was left alone inside an orphanage without a name. Tears fell to the ground. She was alive, so why did he live his life being thrown from one foster family to another? Taunted for not knowing his name, unloved because he had no family? His chest hurt, the heaviness made it hard for him to breathe. He felt a hand firmly on his shoulder. He tried to shake it from him, but they refused to let go.

"G." He looked up at his partner's voice. Sam looked down at his partner with concern, having witnessed what had happened on the jetty. He'd been chopping firewood by the cabin when he'd seen the reunion of his partner's parents. Then his heart broke when Callen ran from the scene up the mountain.

He followed, but not before telling Alex what had happened. She was feeding Samuel and she assured him that she would come when she could.

Callen needed her. Right now, more than ever. He knew it all by now. The pain his partner had suffered during those years in the system and how Hetty had saved him. But from what? Only in recent times had he been made aware exactly what Hetty had done to his partner and it wasn't what it had appeared. She'd slowly and very cleverly, ruined him. Pulled him apart, piece by piece, moving him about so much so when there appeared to be no cause to care left in his life, he escaped from juvie and stole a vehicle. He was heading for jail, but Hetty stepped in. Sam shook his head at the realities of everything.

"I saw her die, Sam. I saw her being shot by that man in a suit." His breathing hitched. "She stopped laughing and I tried to wake her up. But her head remained slumped on her shoulder."

Sam squeezed his shoulder again. "I know, G. I know." He too wanted answers. How come his partner had been shipped off to America, separated from his sister, moved about between so many foster families, left with no memory of his family or his name.

"Everything my life became was because she died. If she is alive, then why did I live my life alone?" His abandonment issues resurfaced. He fisted his hand and punched the ground. Fortunately, it was covered in soft grass.

Sam sat down on the grass beside his partner, looking over the scenery below them. Tyaughton Lake was shimmering in the sunlight, enveloped in spruce trees. It was beautiful, a far cry from the emotions distressing his partner at that moment.

"I don't know, G. Everything that made sense, doesn't anymore." He looked over to his partner, who had turned to sit like himself.

"Not just me then? I'm not going crazy?"

"No, G. I think your mom has a great deal of explaining to do."

"You're not wrong." Flashes of memories returned. He was five, kneeling on the beach, building a sandcastle. A shadow blocked the sun rays, catching his attention. A wheel tattoo was on the man's wrist and then he spotted the tin soldier. The man was giving it to him and he thought nothing of the offer, he took it and placed it on the top of his sandcastle. He could hear his mother laugh, she thought it was funny, the man giving him the tin soldier. She didn't feel threatened. Callen furrowed his brow, trying to piece the memories of his five year old self from that day. He was distracted by the tin soldier, then he heard a popping sound. When he looked over to his mother, her head was slumped. That was all he remembered. He shook his head. "I was distracted by the tin soldier. She was laughing, she didn't feel threatened." He rubbed his hand over his face. "I heard a popping sound, I turned and her head was slumped in her chair. She was wearing a large brim hat, a white straw one. She had sunglasses on her face and she wore a green and white patterned swimsuit. I don't remember seeing any blood, just that I couldn't wake her up."

Another memory returned, a dark haired woman came to console him. She took him inside the house and gave him chocolate cake. He could hear the flurry of whispers over the other side of the room, but he couldn't hear what they were saying. He never saw his mom again after that. He and Amelia had been taken by Alexa Comescu and then a man. "I remember more, Sam. I remember Alexa Comescu running over to me, she was kind and took me inside the beach house." He flexed his muscles. "Why didn't I remember this back in Romania? This was important. Hetty tricked me into believing I had no one. But that was all a lie. I had my family. Owen told me that he'd tried to rescue me from Hetty, but she had her sights on me." Anger ravaged through him. He threw a small rock into the air and watched it fall into the trees. But it did nothing to dissipate his anger. "I don't know why Hetty did what she did. All I do know is that everything I believed, was a lie."

Sam squeezed his shoulder again. "G, look at me."

Callen turned and faced his partner, he could see this was cutting him up just as much. "She brought us together as partners. She chose us to be brothers. I don't understand her motive, what game she was playing, but I think she was trying to make amends for what she'd done in the past. Why else would she do something so good?" Sam always tried to see the good in people, which is why he found it hard when someone he cared about, or a fellow SEAL went bad.

"She took me away from Alex and Katie. I should never have agreed to come to Los Angeles." Callen shook his head, so many conflicts in Hetty's actions, none added up. "But then I met you. I didn't realise that I had lived with your family for a while." His voice trailed off, trying to remember that time.

Sam furrowed his brow. "You never came to live with my family, G. What are you talking about?"

"Hetty reminded me of it, recently."

"She what?" Sam looked over to him with concern.

"When I came back to L.A. She called me over to her office. I was fuming with her over what she did with Alex. But she," anger surged through him again, "she manipulated me again. Told me some story that everything she'd done was to help find me a family. She told me to remember the good ones. I couldn't understand why I only stayed at the good ones for a short time, if they were good. But she gave me a valid reason for each one. She told me I came to live with you and your family. I had a broken arm from a car accident. You took care of me, until you had to move to Saudi Arabia."

Sam threw a rock down the mountain shaking his head. "Do you remember coming to live with me and my family, G?"

"No."

"That's because it never happened." Sam's muscles rippled under his t-shirt. "She's one screwed up woman. When I get back home, I'm requesting my own time questioning her." It infuriated Sam that Hetty continued to manipulate his partner after all of these years.

"Get in line, Sam." But Sam's words provided him some comfort, that he wasn't the only one who felt betrayed by her.


	37. Chapter 37

**Till Death Do Us Part**

_Disclaimer: NCISLA characters belong to Shane Brennan. All original characters and this story are mine._

* * *

**Chapter 37**

**Chilcotin Mountains, British Columbia, Canada**

Callen turned at the sound of a twig snapping. He looked into the visitor's eyes, thankful that she had come.

Alex looked to Sam who nodded and left them alone.

He headed back to the cabin, in hope that his time with his partner and now with Alex, would help him deal with this.

Alex sat beside him, placing her arm over his shoulders. They felt tense and from what she had heard from Sam, this was a difficult situation for Callen to deal with.

He let the tears fall, unashamed of showing his emotions in front of her. She wiped them away and held his face in her hands. "Talk to me, Gav. Let me help you." Once again she was helping him to break down his walls around his heart. He'd re-erected them when he saw his mother for the first time in forty years. But Sam and Alex could help him break them down, even if it was just for them. He buried his head in her shoulder and wept. Alex rubbed his back, both of them had gone through so much emotional turmoil over the past few years, particularly, the past month. Callen let her in. He told her all his feelings, what he'd been over with Sam already. He was thankful to have them still in his life.

They heard people talking, soon they would not be alone. Alex looked in the direction and found Amy, Deeks, Kensi and Nell appear from the trees. They'd been out hiking for the morning and they were on their return for lunch. They looked concerned at Callen, fear entered all of their minds over what was going on. Amy moved forward and sat on the other side of her brother. "What is it, Gav?"

Alex kissed Callen on the cheek. "I think the two of you should have some time alone." She'd been there for half an hour, and now it was time for him to tell his sister about their mother.

Callen nodded and watched her leave with the others.

"Is everything okay?" Kensi asked Alex, surprised by the state they'd found Callen in.

"He will be. Let's get back to the cabin, it will all become clear then." It was not her news to tell them about Clara being alive. Deeks' chatter was a good distraction from her thoughts as she walked down the mountain with them.

Callen took in a deep breath, reining his emotions in. This was hard on him to deal with, even harder to find the words to tell his sister that their mother was alive.

"Do you remember that day on the beach?"

"Yes. You were crying, trying to wake Mama up."

"Before that. Do you remember how she was? Was she happy? I remember her laughing, right until I heard a popping sound."

Amy nodded. "She was happy. She spoiled us with the days on the beach. Sandcastle building, swimming in the shallows and ice-cream afterwards. We were happy, but we missed Tata. The beach was supposed to distract us from missing him. You particularly, probably because you were so little and you couldn't understand why he had to leave."

"I don't remember before. I only remember that time on the beach, that moment when the men in suits walked up to us."

"Why is this bothering you now, Gav? I thought you had already dealt with this. You've worked so hard to build a life with Alex, you are happy now."

"She's here. Alive."

"Whose's here? Mama?" Surprise spread across her face, her eyes darted down towards the direction of the cabin. Her heart beat rapidly inside her chest.

"Yes." He held his head in his arms, trying to hide his emotions, but he was doing a bad job of it.

The reality of what her brother had just told her jolted her. "She can't be. We saw her dead in the chair. Alexa came and took us into the beach house." Amy's own memories flashed before her. She remembered her baby brother's crying, desperate to wake their mother up.

"I didn't see any blood. Did you?" He looked into her eyes and he knew that she hadn't either.

"We were lied to, Amy. Tricked into believing that she was dead, taken away and separated. Why?"

"I don't know." She had no clue. No clue as to why their mother's death was faked or why they had been separated. "But we need to find out, Gav. We need to go down there and get the truth from her, why she deserted us. We were young, too young to deal with the situation."

Callen nodded. He was thankful that Amy felt the same as him. But he wasn't ready yet. He needed some more time to deal with the news and on how he was going to approach her. "We need a plan, Amy."

"Yes we do." They formulated a plan of attack, they were not going to let this ruse go unnoticed. They'd been stripped of any form of normality that day.

**The Cabin**

Alex and the others approached the cabin. Nell's eyes widened at the woman who sat outside on the deck holding her grandson. She looked at Alex and shock spread across her face.

"She's alive?"

Alex nodded.

"Whose alive?" Deeks looked between Alex and Nell, confused. He looked to Kensi, who also was confused over who Nell was referring to.

"Clara. Callen's mom."

The news from Alex rocked them. Their eyes darted up the mountain to where they'd seen Callen and left Amy with him. His emotional state made sense and why Alex suggested that he talk to Amy. This was huge for both Callen children, who'd suffered a great deal because of their mother's death. But now here she was, alive and well.

Alex hesitated when she saw Samuel in her arms. Should she take him off her? She was a stranger to them after all. What kind of mother would abandon her children, leaving them in the firing line of Henrietta Lange? She saw Sam taking his anger out on the fire wood, soon they'd have enough for a month's worth of camp fires, the rate Sam was reeling that axe. She chose to walk over to him to avoid meeting her ghost of a mother-in-law. Alex's gut churned. Her own mother had taken Callen in to protect him from Hetty, only to sacrifice her own life because of Hetty's obsession with her husband. But that was all a ruse, Clara was still alive. She wasn't sure how she felt about this revelation. Clara was spared, but her own mother was sacrificed.

"Alexa." She turned at Dimitri's voice. She was trying to adjust to him calling her by her birth name. It was a good thing that Oscar had kept her name similar, by only slightly changing it from Alexa to Alexandra. "I have someone for you to meet. Gavrill's mother, Clara. She is alive." He looked excited to be able to tell her.

"You knew?" She noted it in his eyes, a secret he'd kept for forty years.

"I'm sorry, Alexa. I was sworn to secrecy. We had to protect her from Hetty."

"What about my mother? She died trying to protect Gav from Hetty. Why did you separate him and Amy from their mother? She could have hidden with them, then they could have lived their lives with their mother." She had so many questions of her own and hers were directed at him. Not Clara. She was still unsure on how she would be when she had to face her.

"It wasn't safe. We had to make it look like she'd died. Hetty would have continued to search for them, and place them all in harm's way."

"None of it makes sense. So many of us suffered because of this decision. Gav should have been with his sister. Then he could have lived with some family. But Hetty found him anyway. And she," she couldn't continue. Her own emotions were raw from the news. She turned on her heels and walked towards the lake. She found a canoe and stepped in.

A shadow appeared, Sam had joined her. He understood how she was feeling. "Like some company?"

She nodded and moved to the front of the canoe, balancing herself as Sam stepped in. They paddled out into the lake, they headed to the southern end, where the Tyax Mountain Resort stood overlooking the lake. They paddled in silence, both respecting the other's need to think things through.

"It's not fair, Sam." She eventually heaved out. "We've suffered so much because of Hetty. And it all started when Gav and Amy saw their mother killed. And then my mom died protecting him from Hetty. For what? She got to him anyway. Destroyed him and made him trust in her." Anger laced in her voice, as it echoed over the lake.

"I know, Alex. G's suffered so much, it's not easy for him, Amy or yourself. Hetty was one very screwed up woman, I'm going to ask Vance for a moment of my own to interrogate her."

"I think we'll all be lining up for our moment with her, Sam. I know Gav's eager to as well. He deserves it, more than any of us."

Sam shook his head. "You've suffered too, Alex. You lost your mother when you were a baby. Lost a lifetime with getting to know her and she you. Think of all the years you've lost with Elena and your real father. Not to mention the ten years lost being with G."

Alex heaved out a sigh. She remained quiet.

A gunshot rang out through the air, Alex and Sam felt like sitting ducks. They quickly paddled to the jetty and tied it up, darting for covering in nearby trees.

"It's coming from over there." Sam pointed over towards where they'd come from. Fear for their family and team grew within them.

Sam pulled out his cell and dialled his partner.

"Sam, where's Alex?" Sam was relieved to hear his partner's voice, but he still worried about the others.

"She's with me, G. We're down near the Tyax Resort. We went out on the canoe, but we abandoned it down here after we heard the shot."

Callen looked to Amy, the fear was evident in both of their eyes over that gunshot. "It sounded like it was coming from near the cabin."

"That's what we thought."

"I have my Sig and spare on me. Amy and I are still up the mountain. I'll try Gibbs." He'd left Katie with Gibbs earlier, he prayed she was still safe with him.

"I have mine too, G. I'll try Deeks." They disconnected the call and made their next ones.

"Gibbs, is everyone safe?" Leroy Jethro Gibbs had taken cover in the nearby trees from where he and Katie were building a hut. They'd progressed enough with the build that they were able to hide in it from whoever had fired the shot.

"I have Katie with me. We're by our hut. Can you get to us?"

"We can. I'll send Alex and Sam your way too. Can't be sure we can get to the cabin unseen."

"Good plan." He held Katie in his lap, whispering softly songs he knew she liked. They'd played many nights on the guitars since they'd arrived at their location.

Deeks cell vibrated, he had ducked inside the cabin along side everyone else.

"Deeks, what's going on? Is everyone safe?"

"Someone fired a shot at the cabin. I'm not sure. Where are you?"

"We're safe, far away. We heard the shot. I have Alex with me. G and Amy are still up the mountain. Just received a text, Gibbs is at the hut with Katie."

Deeks tried to look out for signs of the others, to see if everyone was indeed okay. He heard the baby's cry, frightened by the loud bang. He needed to get a good look to see who had fired the shot and where it came from. He crawled along the floor. Oscar now held Samuel in his arms, Nikita's body lay over Clara's, Dimitri was missing. From his count, he could see everyone else but him."I can't see Dimitri, everyone else is here. Not sure if anyone is hurt."

"We're coming. You, Kens and Nell, set up positions to protect everyone there."

"Got it." Deeks disconnected the call and motioned to Kensi and Nell to take their positions. They needed to ensure that every angle of the cabin was protected.

Leon Vance moved in like manner, he was not going to stay put and let the others protect him. He looked over to Nikita, who continued to lay over Clara. "Is she okay?"

The look in Nikita's eyes worried him. The former Russian KGB went into protection mode, dived onto his wife, when he heard the gunshot. Oscar had just taken Samuel from her to lay him down in his crib. He moved slightly. "Clara. Are you safe?" He heard her moan, his eyes widened when he saw blood. His heart quickened. She'd been hit.


	38. Chapter 38

**Till Death Do Us Part**

_Disclaimer: NCISLA characters belong to Shane Brennan. All original characters and this story are mine._

* * *

**Chapter 38**

**Chilcotin Mountains, British Columbia, Canada**

The searing hot metal burned her flesh, sending her down onto the floor. Her arm throbbed from the pain, and then she felt Nikita's weight land on top of her. She saw the fear in his eyes when he saw the blood. "It's just my arm, Nik. I'll live."

He sighed with relief. "Thank goodness for that, Clara. I couldn't bear it if anything happened to you now. After you returning to us after all of this time."

Nell was quick, she grabbed the first aid kit and passed it over to Nikita. "You'll have to patch her up, the rest of us need to be on guard."

Nikita nodded, Clara stared at the young woman. She was young, much younger than her own children, but she had an inner strength that shone through.

The force of Nikita's hand on her arm caught her attention. He ripped open a sealed packet with large tweezers in. "I need to get the bullet out."

She nodded and prepared for the pain. Not that it mattered, her arm already throbbed. She watched him probe around and she slightly relaxed after he'd pulled the bullet out of her arm. The contact of the bullet had been close. It had taken her by surprise. Hetty was arrested, they were safe. Or were they?

"Who's shooting at us?"

"A rogue agent and a Ukrainian national, one we thought until a week ago was dead," Vance advised her.

Nikita looked worriedly over to Vance. "Why are they after us?"

"Not you. Alex, Gavrill and Gibbs. Granger's had them all on watch since news about the rogue agent's escape came through and when Gibbs realised we had the wrong man dead." Vance looked over to the other side of the cabin. "Where's Granger?"

Oscar looked around, he remained low to the ground, trying to soothe Samuel from the shock of the gunshot. He hadn't seen him either since it had happened.

"I don't know. I can't see Dimitri either."

Oscar pulled his cell out and dialled. It went to voicemail. Worry for Owen Granger and Dimitri grew strong. He prayed they were safe.

**The Hut**

Callen and Amy made the trek down the mountain without any run ins with Green or Basara. It was obvious to him who it was who'd taken the shot. Who else was after them? They moved swiftly and arrived at the hut. He crouched down and called out softly to Gibbs. "It's us." Gibbs lowered his weapon and Katie jumped into his arms. "It's okay, sweetheart. No one is going to hurt you." He heard footstep behind them and both he and Gibbs pulled out their weapons. They dropped them when they saw Sam and Alex appear from behind the trees.

"Mom." Katie moved into her mom's arms, relieved to see her too.

"You okay?" Alex looked at Callen, his jaw was tense and he was fighting to rein in the anger radiating from him.

"Will be, once we get them."

"Who is them, Gav?" She stared at him and realised he knew more then she did.

"Never you mind." He moved out of the hut, but she held onto his arm.

"Don't, Gav. Now's not the time to play hero. Malis?"

He shook his head. "I only found out three days ago, Ally. Malis is dead."

"Then who is out there aiming fire at our cabin?"

He groaned within himself, he couldn't tell her. She looked in his eyes and she could see the struggle. "I'm a big girl, Gav. Who is it?"

He took in a deep breath and looked over to Gibbs and Sam. "I can't say, Ally."

She knew in that moment who. "Roman Basara."

"And Green," Gibbs added. He felt she needed to know the full facts, now that they were there.

Her eyes widened when Gibbs added in about Green. Every vein fired with anger. She pulled Callen's weapon from the small of his back and ran.

Callen took after her, the last thing he wanted was her in the firing line. Every bone and fibre in his body needed to protect her. "What are you doing? Going to get yourself killed?"

"It's me they want, so I'll give them what they want. Then I can exact my revenge."

"Like hell you are, Ally. Our children need you alive."

"They need you too, Gav." She stood there in amongst the trees, glaring back at him.

Sam and Gibbs came up behind them. "How about we all go."

**Somewhere in the woods**

"You idiot. Now they know we are here and our element of surprise has been lost." Basara scolded Green in hush tones.

"I saw her, I had my moment. I think I hit her."

"You think?" Basara hurled him against the trunk of one of the spruce trees, pinning him there with his own body.

"She went down."

Roman Basara studied him for a moment. "Are you that much of an idiot?" He heaved out a sigh. "What about these two men, Callen and Gibbs. They'll be after us now. We have no idea where they are, did you see them in the cabin?"

Green shook his head, but he was certain he'd hit Alex. Dark brown hair, she had just passed the baby to a man. It had to be her. Green shook his head. "No." He hadn't seen Gibbs or Callen and now he regretted his rash actions.

**North side of the cabin**

Owen Granger motioned to Dimitri to follow. Armed, they moved swiftly away from the cabin, up the hill amongst the trees. He'd heard the shot and had worked out where it had come from. The south side of the cabin. He hoped that everyone inside the cabin were okay and had found cover. With his cell switched off, not wanting to alert anyone to their location, they moved silently towards the shooter's location.

**Lake side of the woods**

Callen motioned to Gibbs and Sam to head out front while he and Alex provided backup. They looked out for twigs that might indicate their presence to Basara and Green. They weren't sure exactly the position of the shooter was, but they knew it was fairly close to the cabin. Using their accommodation as their homing beacon, they moved through the densely wooded forest. They hoped towards the shooter, and caught them unaware. Movement to the north of them, had them halted. They stood hidden behind tree trunks and waited until they realised who it was, Granger and Dimitri. Gibbs made a bird call sound through the woods, catching Granger's attention. He nodded when he saw Gibbs and Sam behind the trees. He moved over to their position and spoke in hushed tones.

"They're still by the south side of the cabin. We've moved in from higher ground, and they've not moved out from their position from what we can see."

"That's good. Take Sam with you, Callen, Alex and I will come in from this angle, you three from the other side. We can corner them in and take them down.

Granger nodded at Gibbs' plan and moved back up higher on the mountain, taking Sam with them. Within minutes the agents were gathered around Basara and Green. To watch them bicker amongst them was almost as good as watching a comedy. But they were dangerous and they found no humour in their determination to get to Alex, Callen and Gibbs. But the detail that Alex was not the only target, had been left out. Alex only knew that she was their target, if she had known that Callen and Gibbs had also been burned by Green, her anger would have increased more than it already was. It was probably a good thing, although Alex was determined to exact her revenge on them for what they both did to her.

Callen was determined to keep Alex towards the back and the plan worked at first. But memories returned for Alex. The torture, the rape, being left almost dead inside that dirty warehouse, clouded all common sense. She looked over at Callen. He was focused on Green and Basara and she could see the fury radiating off him. He was about to do something stupid, Alex realised. Move in and get himself shot. She couldn't allow it. After the days sitting beside his bed after he'd received five bullet wounds, three of them to the chest, there was no way she was allowing that to happen to him again.

Callen's heart beat rapidly inside his chest. Anger surged through him, now he had his chance to exact his revenge on both men. But he had to wait. Wait for Gibbs and Granger to make their move.

Memories of the state Gibbs had found Alex in that day in Donetsk, flashed in his mind. It had almost destroyed him, the state they'd found her in. How he or Callen hadn't killed Roman Basara back then still puzzled him.

They should have ended him then. Now they were suffering the consequences of their inaction. Their task was to get Alex out safely. But at what cost? Green and Basara have hunted Alex just the same and to add insult to injury, Green burned him and Callen as well. No, he was not going to allow either man to walk away. He was about to step out of the shadows and aim his weapon at them, when Alex moved swiftly passed him and Callen and stood in the clearing.

"You're an idiot, Green. You were never good enough. Is that why you betrayed your country and burned me? To keep what you did secret?"

Basara's eyes roamed over the woman. She stood very much alive in front of them. He turned to Green. "I thought you said you hit her."

"I did. She fell to the ground."

"You're disillusioned, Green. I was no where near the cabin when you fired. You need your eyes checked."

Callen's mind was full of fury. They'd hit someone in the cabin. Who? "I saw you. You handed over your baby to someone, you were on the deck."

Alex knew instantly who he'd hit. Clara. It took every ounce of strength in her to resist from turning and looking at Callen. This news would not go down well with him. After all the years he'd thought she was dead, now she really was hit.

Callen's mind raced. Sam had called through to Deeks, he thought everyone was okay. Which meant that their team were safe. No. He couldn't go there. Not his mother. He looked over to the cabin, it was silent except for a baby's cry. His son. His heart ached. Every ounce of his body, craved to protect those he cared about. Now his wife stood in front of the enemy as if she was offering herself up.

He indicated to Gibbs to stay where he was. He moved silently to the other side of their assailants, he spotted Sam doing the same from the higher side of the mountain.

Owen Granger watched Callen and Sam's movements. He too knew who'd been shot. After only a short time of reuniting with his cousin and best friend, she had been hit. Anger surged through him. They needed to act now before they hurt Alex. At first he thought she was foolish putting herself out there, but Green and Basara were distracted.

Callen and Sam moved in from behind. They were at the ready and Alex stepped forward, baiting them. She knew they needed probable cause to shoot, she was giving it to them.

"You want me dead, Green, now is your chance." She held her hands up, taunting him. "You're worthless, a failure and you'll never work another day of your life." It took all of her strength to venture so close to both men without losing her calm and running at them to attack.

Basara laughed at her. He took his safety switch off his gun and aimed it at her head.

"You were a joy, Alexandra Holden. Every bit of you, pleading for me to stop made me want you more. And I will do it again and again until no more air comes into your lungs." Basara stepped closer, excitement dripped in his voice.

Callen and Gibbs couldn't take it anymore. How Alex could stand there and accept Basara's words, neither of them could comprehend.

"You're wrong," Alex replied. "Killing you will be my joy."

Basara narrowed his eyes, slightly confused.

She pulled out her weapon, aiming it at him. "I think this is more fair, don't you?"

"You've got to be kidding." Green shook his head at her. "You really think two against one is in your favour?"

"Lower your weapons or I'll shoot you both dead."

Basara found it slightly amusing, but there was something in her eyes, that had him wondering.

"I think she's serious." Basara saw the look in her eyes. He held his weapon closer towards her head. "Let's see who wins this round." He was confident that between him and Green, they could take her down without injury to themselves.

Callen and Sam held their weapons, Callen could see Granger, Dimitri and Gibbs had the same resolve. Neither man were going to live another day.

The succession of guns rang out. It echoed throughout the woods and over the lake. Deeks gave Kensi a look of concern, over what had just happened. They looked to see signs of life from the woods. Birds squawked warnings as they flew above the tree line.


	39. Chapter 39

**Till Death Do Us Part**

_Disclaimer: NCISLA characters belong to Shane Brennan. All original characters and this story are mine._

* * *

**Chapter 39**

**The Woods**

His heart stopped for a brief moment. He had been focused on his target, but out of the corner of his eyes, he saw her fall to the ground. Drop or fall, he was uncertain. He ran from his position. Both Green and Basara were down. He was oblivious to the others around him move likewise, Sam to Green, Granger to Basara, to ensure they were dead. Like a magnet, he only focused on his wife. Still on the ground, her body on it's side, her eyes stared out in his direction. "Ally." He fell to his knees, his fingers straight to her pulse. A strong heart beat pulsated under the surface. He breathed out the breath he'd been holding.

Her eyes darted to his and locked on. She was in shock.

"Are you hurt?" He scanned his eyes over her body, looking for signs of blood.

Alex moved her eyes over to where Basara and Green had stood. Two lifeless bodies laid in the dirt. "Are they dead?" She needed to know, to be sure that she was now safe.

Callen turned to Granger and Sam, who both nodded. "Yes." Callen helped her into sitting position, and wrapped her in his arms.

Gibbs joined Callen beside Alex, doing his own assessment. "What were you thinking?" Fear for her life ravaged through his system.

"We needed to force their hand and provide a distraction. They had no clue you were there."

"I told you not to, Ally. Why did it have to be you?" Callen's heart felt heavy in his chest. "I can't lose you."

"I trusted you all to have my back. Don't you trust me?"

Callen realised he'd let his own emotions cloud his judgement on her capability as a seasoned agent. How many times had he gone in as bait to distract the bad guy so his team could come in from behind and take them out? He'd lost count and he knew she was right.

Gibbs realised too, but he still didn't like it. "We do, Ally. We do."

Dimitri ran over to check on his daughter. "You are so much like your mother, Alexa." He knelt on the ground, running his own check over her, relieved she was unhurt. "You asked me why she sacrificed her life to protect Gavrill. She had a big heart, loved deeply and always wanted to protect those who needed protecting. She knew the risk, she knew that Clara was alive. But she and I took Gavrill in as if he was our own son and protected him at all costs."

Callen furrowed his brow, he was missing something when he looked between his wife and her real father. Then it hit him. His mother showing up like she had, had affected Alex in a way he hadn't realised. He tightened his hold on her and kissed her temple. "I'm sorry, Ally."

She shook her head. "No, Gav, please don't say that. It's not your fault. None of this has ever been your fault." Her emotions ripped through her. The adrenaline that had coursed through her, left her shaky.

Callen rubbed his hands up and down her arms to calm her down. "I don't want my mom being alive to cause you pain."

She turned and faced him, holding his face in her hands. "I'll deal with it, Gav. It's just hard to know that my mom died protecting you, when her family managed to fake your mother's death and hide her for all of these years. And Hetty still got to you. If anything, it's Hetty that I'm angry at."

"We'll ask Vance to see her. We both need to ask her why."

They heard footsteps run through the woods, Deeks, Kensi, Nell and Vance arrived at the small clearing, relief washed over them. "Thank goodness, you are all safe." Leon Vance looked over at his agents, thankful that they were safe and Green and Basara were dead.

"We need to see Hetty, Director. We need to ask her some questions." Callen pulled Alex up to standing and pulled her into his arms once again.

"I'm sorry, Agent Callen. But where she's gone to, no one can go."

They all looked at him confused. "She's dead?" Callen furrowed his brow, anger surged through him that he couldn't ask her.

"Not yet. But she's not got long. She's been sick for a long time. A tumour on her brain has caused what we believe to be the reason behind her obsession with you and it may be responsible for her actions. She only has a short time left before her time on this earth will end."

"A brain tumour? Are you telling me, all that I've endured most of my life is because of a stupid brain tumour?"

"Yes."

Callen's muscles tensed. "So that's it? We don't get to question her, don't you think we deserve that? We've been through so much because of her."

"I know, Agent Callen. I understand your frustration, but it was deemed by the President that she was too much of a risk to escape any prison we put her in. She was sent to a black site to spend the last days of her life, alone in solitude. After all she's done to you, your family and team, this was the best punishment we could get." Vance pulled out a thumb drive and handed it to him.

"What's this?"

"A recording of my recent interview with her. I hope this will give you the answers you are looking for."

Callen held the thumb drive firmly in his hands, still annoyed over the whole situation.

Owen Granger moved forward. "Is everyone safe? Green said something about shooting someone and they fell to the ground.

Leon looked to Callen. "I'm sorry, Agent Callen. Your mother took a hit. But…"

Callen didn't wait to hear the rest. He ran for the cabin. Every muscle in his body screamed as he ran for his life. He ran up the steps and halted when he saw her sitting on the couch, his father finishing off wrapping a bandage around her arm.

Alex was just behind him, worry for her husband grew deep inside of her. She stopped beside him in the doorway.

Clara looked up and saw the worry in his eyes. The same look he had when she had so called died. "Gavrill?"

He stepped forward, unsure of himself. "Vance said you were shot. I thought…"

Clara could see him struggle with his emotions, his walls he'd erected came crashing down. Nikita helped her onto her feet. "It's just my arm, I'm okay."

He froze on the spot, the fear that he'd lost her after only just finding out that she was alive after forty years, had been too much for him.

"Mama."

Clara closed the distance and wrapped her uninjured arm around her son. "It's okay, my dearest son. I'm here now."

His arms wrapped around her, careful not to hurt her arm. He heard footsteps run up the steps and turned to see his sister, holding Katie's hand.

Amy's eyes darted to their mother's arm. "What happened?"

"Your mother was hit in the arm, but she's okay." Nikita informed her.

"Amelia?"

"Mama." All the pain Amy and Callen had felt before, went out the window after seeing how close they come to lose their mother again.

"I'm okay. I'm here now. I'm not going anywhere."

Nikita joined his family and wrapped his arms around them. Finally after forty years, the Reznikov family were back together again, and determined to keep it that way.

**Mendoza, Argentina — two weeks later**

The family reunion in Argentina had been a good one. After the initial uneasiness by Callen when he met Alexa Comescu, he settled when he saw how relaxed his own mother was with the older woman. He listened to them tell stories about their time together, photos were brought out and he realised that the story Hetty had told him, had actually been Alexa's. He still couldn't get over the family resemblance between Alex, Elena and Alexa. He was certain that if Calin had lived, she would look just like them. He'd gotten to meet the whole extended family and all had been forgiven over the Dracul and Vasile fiascos. Both cousins had played foolishly and Callen had been lied to by Hetty.

Callen had sat with Alex and together they watched the interview Vance had recorded with Hetty. Both had been overwhelmed with emotion and agreed that it had probably been best that they'd not seen her again. They were certain that had they, they would have strangled her themselves.

They were outside in the courtyard, the Andres Alps were visible in the distance, a stunning backdrop to the vineyard. "You know, we need to decide where we're going to live." Callen sipped on the wine his brother-in-law had produced.

"Yes, we do." Alex had been doing a great deal of thinking over the time they'd been reunited. "Got any ideas?"She looked over to him, she could see he was torn.

"I was hoping you would have an idea." He was uncertain. He knew where he wanted to be, but he knew he would still be far from his family, seeing they were settled in Canada. And he really wanted Ally to have a say, after all he was the one who had deserted her.

Alex pulled a photo out of her pocket and handed it to him. "I believe this house is on the market and it's not far from Sam and his family." She saw the surprise in his eyes. He hadn't expected this. "I have a feeling Katie and Kamran will become good friends."

"You sure? What about D.C., your team, and your family?"

She gave him a warm smile and held his hand in hers. "My family, and Dimitri are moving to L.A. I believe your family are also moving out west. It would seem a shame if we didn't too." She laughed when she saw how surprised he was over it all. The truth was that now Hetty was gone, the decision had been simple for all of them.

"Leon's given me a new posting. After my maternity leave is up, I will be your new boss."

"You're our new Operations Manager at OSP?

She nodded. "In a new location too. Just wait and see our new digs."

His heart swelled inside of him. He pulled her onto his lap and captured her lips with his. "I love you, Ally. Home is with you and our children. If that's what will make you happy, then I'm happy too.

"I love you too, Gav."

The End!


End file.
